The latest weather maps show the UK will see snow for a 213 hours as a wintry chill grips the country.
Britain will be hit by snow from 3am on Saturday (March 23) and this will persist until midnight on March 31, although it won’t last in a single location for the whole of that period.
Most of western and central Scotland will see snow on Saturday, with WX Charts’ weather maps showing up to 3cm falling per hour.
There will also be pockets of snow in areas east of Manchester and in west Wales but it will be more of a dusting, with less than a centimetre falling per hour, according to WX Charts.
It looks set to be wet for many over the weekend and into next week, but snow looks set to continue in Scotland on Sunday, clear for the rest of the UK but reappear in north and mid-Wales by early Tuesday morning.
The weather maps suggest it won’t lie especially deep in Wales, with rain and showers being the main theme of the week for many.
Snow looks set to fall across the Highlands, Pennines, Northumberland, Cumbria and much of Wales at midnight on March 30, with depths pushing 18cm in parts of western Scotland.
By midday on March 30, snow depths will be up to 4cm in north Wales, 1cm to 2cm in northern England and 16cm in western Scotland, according to WX Charts.
The Met Office’s long-range weather forecast (March 25 – April 3) says it will turn unsettled across most of the UK early next week, as a couple of weather systems bring rain or showers to most areas.
It expects strong winds in places and temperatures near to a little below normal for late March.
The forecast adds: “Perhaps staying relatively drier in the north, with some wintry showers possible for northern Scotland on Monday.
“Through the Bank Holiday weekend and into the following week, unsettled or changeable weather remains the most likely outcome.”
Temperatures will probably continue to be near normal for the time of year, according to the Met Office.
Met Office UK five day weather forecast
Wednesday, March 20 – Sunday, March 24
Headline: Staying changeable, but turning colder for all by Friday.
This evening and tonight: Rain and showers across England and Wales dying out, leaving rather cloudy skies and some mist and fog. Further north, clear spells and a patchy frost initially, but cloud, rain and gales will move in from the northwest later.
Thursday: Low cloud and fog clearing in the south, and staying mostly dry with hazy sunshine. Rain and strong winds in the north moving southeast, with sunshine and blustery showers behind.
Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Turning colder with a mix of sunshine and blustery showers on Friday and Saturday, these perhaps wintry in the north and west. Showers easing in the west through Sunday.
