Incredible weather maps turn purple and red as UK to be battered by more snow

11 March 2024 , 09:46

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Easter this year could be rather cold and snowy, long-range forecasts suggest (Image: Mirrorpix)

Alarming weather maps show large swathes of the UK braced for more snow - several weeks into meteorological spring.

Temperatures have yet to increase significantly across the country since the seasons changed on March 1, and downpours have battered large swathes of the nation. These are set to become wintry - as late as Thursday March 21 - forecasters at Metdesk say.

Weather maps created and issued by the meteorologists at the service show a purple hue - which represents snow - from the Scottish Highlands to as far south as West Yorkshire. By midday, the heaviest of the snow will be in Perthshire, Scotland, the forecasters believe. Snow will fall as rain further south on the same day - heavy in places, including the East Midlands.

But forecasters stress long-range forecasts are difficult to predict and frequently change. The Met Office recognises temperatures are set to struggle to increase significantly for some time but is yet to warn the nation of snow for this month. Referring to March 15 to March 24, the Met Office website reads: "From the end of the week a broadly unsettled pattern continues.

"Friday likely seeing longer spells of rain clearing northern areas whilst showers, sometimes heavy with thunderstorms developing elsewhere, though some brighter spells at times and clearing skies overnight. Temperatures feeling mild out of the fresh winds. Through the weekend further bands of rain expected to push in from the west and southwest, breaking to showers at times.

Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts

The weather map, for Thursday March 21, shows snow is expected across England and Scotland (WXCharts)

"Into the new week temperatures trend down toward average for the time of year as the broadly unsettled pattern continues with periods of rain, heaviest in western areas push across the country to be followed by occasional showers, with a risk of thunderstorms mainly in the south."

Forecasters say it isn't uncommon for cold snaps to blight spring. Nick Finnis, forecaster at Netweather, alludes to the springs of 2021 and 2001 in his blog for the service. April 2021 was particularly cold and saw frequent night-time frosts while 10cm of snow fell in Powys, Wales, in March 2001. Temperatures that month plunged to -21C in Altnaharra, Scottish Highlands.

It's unlikely the mercury will fall that low this spring, meteorologists say. However, temperatures will largely struggle to exceed average for the time of the year, it is believed. Forecasters understand temperatures won't reach double figures in most areas until the end of this week yet, due to south-westerly wind speeds thought to reach 20mph by Friday, it will feel colder.

Bradley Jolly