UK weather latest: Snow to hit Britain for third time, warns Met Office

Temperatures could plummet as low as -10C in mountainous regions

The beast from the east is expected to return for the third time just in time for Easter.

Snow could fall in Scotland and the east coast of England as cold air from Scandinavia reaches the United Kingdom, the Met Office said.

Strong sunshine and spring conditions are however expected to mitigate the impact of the cold weather on roads, railways and airports.

Snow is a likely possibility over the Easter weekend in higher-altitude areas in the north, while the chance of snowfall on lower ground has yet to be ruled out.

Temperatures could plummet as low as -10C in mountainous regions, but conditions are generally not expected to be as severe as those seen during recent cold snaps.

“It is worth pointing out that statistically speaking, snow is more likely to fall at Easter than at Christmas,” said Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna.

“The general trend from Wednesday onwards into Easter is for things to be more unsettled with a chance of snow, especially in the north-east in the hills”

The Met Office’s Laura Paterson added: “The evolution of this system during the middle of the week is uncertain but it does appear increasingly likely to herald the start of another cold spell for many parts of the UK.

“Despite uncertainty regarding the timing and onset of this change, the signal that colder conditions will develop into the Easter weekend has remained consistent.”

Unsettled conditions are expected on Monday and Tuesday and there are predictions of heavy rain followed by lower temperatures by Wednesday.

“We’re now a lot further into spring than at the beginning of March. The ground is warmer, the sun is stronger because it is higher in the sky and we have more hours of daylight at the end of March compared with the beginning of the month.

“All of these factors are likely to subdue the impact of any snowfall,” Ms Paterson said.