UK snow warning: Met Office forecast as temperatures plummet from 19C to -4C with return of cold snap

While the weekend brought fine and dry weather for most, with temperatures reaching up to 19C in some areas, enjoy it while it lasts because snow is now on the horizon.

According to the Met Office, there will be a wet start to the week with a spell of rain moving south across the country on Monday, bringing a few wintry showers in the north and northeast.

By Tuesday (March 11), the temperatures are likely to drop below average across the UK, with rural spots in Scotland could see -4C on Tuesday night, and a daytime maximum temperatures typically between 5C and 8C.

According to deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, Chris Bulmer, the significant changes are due to cold northeasterly winds that will move across the UK during Sunday night and Monday.

He explained: “A frontal zone will move south across the UK during Sunday night and Monday with much colder air following from the north. With these cold northeasterly winds, we are likely to see some wintry showers across the north and the east of the UK next week, but any accumulations of snow are likely to be largely restricted to hills. We’ll also see a return to overnight frosts in many areas.

“While there is uncertainty in the extent of rain and wintry showers through the middle of next week, there is higher confidence that below average temperatures will continue through the week, bringing a very different feel to the mild weather over the weekend.”

However, the Met Office noted that predicting snow in the UK is more challenging compared to other regions at similar latitudes, where snowfall can often be forecast with greater accuracy days or even weeks in advance.