A 372-mile snow bomb could be on the way as temperatures drop to -3C in a final winter blow.
New weather maps on WX Charts – compiled using data from the Metdesk – show snow covering parts of the UK from March 1. From midnight, large parts of Scotland and northern England will see up to 8cm of snow.
In England, Manchester, Yorkshire, and Cumbria can expect snow, while Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland will be worst hit.
Other parts of the UK – including Wales – can expect rainfall in the early hours of March 1. A weather system running from Snowdonia is believed to be behind the sudden icy surge. The Met Office previously warned this last-gasp of winter may hit because of “blocked” air currents over Iceland and Greenland.
A spokesman for WXCharts said: “Showers should reduce through Saturday, giving most areas a drier spell of weather. Further persistent rain and locally strong winds are likely to move into some southern areas on Sunday, though those further north are likely to see drier conditions.”
Meanwhile the Met Office warned a “greater than normal chance” of cold temperatures would be felt in the final days of winter.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, a spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Towards mid-March there is an increased chance of a greater likelihood of higher pressure as a ‘blocked’ pattern becoming established over Greenland and Iceland, with lower pressure towards the south and southwest.
“This is likely to bring a trend towards increasingly settled conditions, with the likelihood of drier than normal conditions, especially in the north. This may lead to a slightly greater than normal chance of colder than average temperatures, although this is mitigated as we move further into spring.”
Lows of -3C will hit north Scotland, while northern England can expect around 0C overnight on March 1.
In London, temperatures will stand at around 3C. Jim Dale, a senior meteorologist for British Weather Services, said Scotland will see chilly lows into the first days of March.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “It’ll be up and down, backwards and forwards – early spring somersaults. Scotland will be seeing some chilly lows like last night (-6C) and there will be frosts for most going forward but they tend not to last.”
The south is unlikely to see any snow flurries, but will more than likely see heavy rain – a theme the Met Office has said will continue throughout nearly all of March.
Mr Dale added: “It won’t be silly mild or warm going forward, cold days will rule up to mid month in my opinion, but not to any serious extent. Rainfall and local flooding remains a bigger risk.”
