Britain will be blanketed in March by 337-mile snow front, as forecasts show the UK still faces looming wintry blasts.
Friday is due to the be last day of winter but this week the UK is set to be hit by flurries of snowfall on high ground in parts of the north and plunging temperatures.
However, new weather maps for mid-March by WXCharts.com warns that spring is far from here as Tuesday March 11th will see a 337-mile snowfront will slam into the UK.
The snowfall will strike a total of 25 English counties or Scottish Regional Councils areas before the weather front continues on into Western Europe.
Temperatures around the UK are expected to drop around the same period, with lows of -2/3C possible in Scotland and northern England also hovering around 0C.
Areas escaping the snow include the south west of England, Wales and Northern Ireland – while maps for Sunday 9th March show London and the south-east of England face a deluge of heavy rain showers.
The forecasts come after a January and February characterised by unpredictable weather patterns, with record-breaking low temperatures and perilous flooding caused by heavy rainfall.
The mercury began easing for most of the UK last week, but the Met Office has warned of fresh rainfall, especially in southern England and Wales in the coming days.
The nine English counties facing the threat of snow include Cumbria; Lancashire; Northumberland; North Yorkshire; North Lincolnshire; West Yorkshire; Nottinghamshire; Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
The 16 Scottish regions set to be hit are: Highlands; Argyll and Bute; Stirling; Perth and Kinross; Angus; West Dunbartonshire; East Dunbartonshire; South Lanarkshire; North Lanarkshire; East Ayrshire; South Ayrshire; Dumfries and Galloway; Renfrewshire; East Renfrewshire; Glasgow and Scottish Borders.
BBC weather presenter Sarah Keith-Lucas said that traditional proverbs say March roars in “like a lion” but goes out “like a lamb” – and this may be the case this year.
She explained: “The ‘transition’ seasons of spring and autumn can bring very variable weather. In fact, in the UK, it is more likely to snow in March than it is in December.
“This year, the most likely scenario to start March, is for further spells of wet and windy weather that are most likely to affect the north and west of the UK with quieter and drier conditions expected further south.
“Beyond that, wetter and windier conditions may spread into the south for a time and temperatures are likely to remain around average for the time of year – but there is still the potential of some chilly nights.”
The Met Office’s UK forecast for early March explains: “A split in weather conditions is likely across the country for the start of spring.
“Northwestern areas will likely see spells of rain and stronger winds as Atlantic weather systems arrive from the west. Spells of wet and windy weather will move southeast to some degree across the country at times.
“However, high pressure is likely to have more influence across the south of the country, at least at first.
“Here, there should be a good deal of fine/dry weather during early March with a chance of night frosts and morning fog patches.
“Through the course of this period the chance of unsettled conditions becoming more dominant across the country increases. Temperatures generally around average, though with milder interludes likely.”
