Britain looks set to be gripped by an Arctic blast with snow and freezing temperatures in just a few days’ time, the latest weather maps show.
The UK appears divided with temperatures dropping down to -3C in north west Scotland – and struggling to stay two or three degrees above freezing in England and Wales at midday on March 1, according to WX Charts.
While much of mainland Europe appears green on the latest weather maps, the whole of Britain turns an icy blue as a chilling blast of Arctic air sweeps across the country.
Maps show a swirling mass of snow stretching from Dalkeith in Scotland down to Southampton and Plymouth in the south of England.
Weather maps show while snow will cover Wales, much of England and western Scotland at midday on March 1, it won’t be particularly deep, with 1cm to 2cm across the UK but 3cm in north Wales and around parts of Yorkshire.
Much of the UK looks set to see snow, but Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire look likely to escape a dusting, according to WX Charts.
The maps show rain in Kent, but it will be largely dry over Scotland and Northern Ireland on the same date.
According to the Met Office’s long range forecast (March 1-10), it will become cooler and more unsettled from Friday and through the weekend with temperatures a little below average.
It adds areas of showers will sometimes band together bringing longer spells of rain, which will be heavy at times and likely to turn wintry, even at lower levels.
Some snow accumulations are likely over higher ground, particularly in the west, according to the Met Office.
There will be clearer spells overnight with some frost or fog patches developing. Into the following week, the pattern will likely return to occasional frontal systems affecting more northern and western areas with some more settled spells developing in eastern areas as settled conditions spread out from northern Europe.
The Met Office forecast concludes the period will see around average temperatures for the time of year though some short-lived colder interludes remain “likely”.
Sunday, February 25 – Thursday, February 29
Headline: Wet and windy in the south, drier and brighter elsewhere.
This evening and tonight: Rain in the south gradually clearing, though lingering in the far southeast with winds slowly ease through the evening. Mostly dry elsewhere with some coastal showers. Turning chilly with a patchy frost mainly in the north.
Monday: Largely dry with sunny spells and a few showers, these mostly in the northeast. Rain and stronger winds in the southeast slowly easing through the day. Temperatures around average.
Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday: Rain spreading southeast on Tuesday, then brighter with showers in the north. Dry start on Wednesday with further rain arriving from the west, turning heavy at times through Thursday.
