Met Office says 'potential for snow' on Dartmoor and Exmoor this week
On Wednesday the Met Office says there is a potential for sleet or snow on the moors, including in Princetown
by Sarah WaddingtonThe weather may have cheered up a bit today - but be warned, on Wednesday temperatures will drop significantly and heavy rain, hail and even snow could fall over Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin, the Met Office says.
Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge says Wedneday will be a day of "sunshine and showers" for most across Devon and Cornwall, but temperatures will fall and there is a chance of sleet or snow on higher ground.
Storm Atiyah, the first named storm of the season, brought high winds and downpours across the region - bringing down power cables, causing damage to buildings and disruption to the train lines.
And if you think we've had the last of it, think again, as winter has well and truly arrived. Sub-zero temperatures are expected in places tonight, more gale force winds are expected on Tuesday and later in the week - and more huge waves are set to roll in off the Atlantic on Friday.
While Wednesday is looking a little drier and a little less windy, more prolonged rain and stronger winds will arrive on Thursday, with guts in excess of 60mph expected on Thursday night/Friday morning down at Land's End, and nearly 50mph in Plymouth.
And on Wednesday itself, Mr Partridge said there is a potential for sleet or snow on the moors, including in Princetown.
He said: "Wednesday will be quite chilly and [on the moors] and in Princetown there is the potential for sleet and hail. [The weather chart] is definitely coming up with a real mixture of rain, hail and sleet in amongst it.
"Exmoor is a similar picture with a faint signal of mixed rain and snow, which is essentially sleet. There will be a lot of rain and hail though there's probably more of a chance of sleet on Dartmoor than Exmoor.
"[Sleet] is less likely for Bodmin, but rain and hail is more likely."
The Met Office is forecasting temperatures of 2C - 3C for Princetown on Wednesday in the daytime, which 'feels like' temperatures of between -2C - -4C.
In Bodmin it will be slightly warmer, between 5C - 6C and 'feels like' temperatures of 0C - 2C.
In Exmoor it's a similar picture.
What about polling day?
Mr Partridge said: "There will be rain on and off throughout the day. It will be warmer but that won't be much use when you're out in the wind and rain. It will be quite windy at times, with gusts fo up to 30 - 40mph.
"If you're heading out to vote you will at least need a waterproof coat as a brolly won't be much use in the wind."
The Met Office says there's a potential for further weather warnings to be implemented later in the week.
If it does snow it would be the first time in 40 years that it has snowed on the day of a general election.
On that occasion, voters in Devon trekked to their polling stations in decidedly wintry conditions - despite it being May 3.
Britain was in the middle of an Arctic blast, with snow, hail and ice affecting many areas.
Best children's coats to keep warm
The kids probably won't care if its blowing a gale or raining, but protect them from the worst of the storms with these and what's more, they are all on sale
1. Orange Performance parka, Sainsbury's
2. Shelly II waterproof jacket, Mountain Warehouse
3. Sonneti Blake jacket, JD Sports
4. Bluezoo - Girls' Khaki Sequin Unicorn parka, Debenhams
5. Trespass Girls Amira padded hooded jacket pink lady, M and M Direct
Prices correct at time of publication
Voters found themselves queuing in the snow in constituencies across south-west England, including the seat of Plymouth Devonport which was being defended by the foreign secretary David Owen.
Up to six inches of snow lay on parts of Dartmoor, disrupting the delivery of ballot boxes to some isolated polling stations.
Temperatures in most places of the UK barely climbed above freezing. Turnout on polling day in 1979 was 76%, up from 73% at the previous election.
And Friday?
Friday looks set to stay windy, and wave experts Magic Seaweed forecast a huge Atlantic swell - which will start arriving on our shores on Thursday - will reach its crescendo at around 9am on Friday morning.