UK weather: Britain set for Easter snow with temperatures forecast to fall over bank holiday weekend

Cold weather to continue into April after freezing conditions gripped country in March

Snow is set to fall on Britain over Easter as the cold weather continues into April.

Below-average temperatures over the bank holiday weekend could bring snowfall in the north of the UK, said the Met Office.

Forecasters said there would be a “mild interlude” as temperatures rise to 12C in parts of the country this week following the “mini beast from the east” that brought snow and ice at the weekend.

Temperatures are then expected to drop again next week, although it is unlikely there will be a repeat of the transport chaos caused by Arctic conditions earlier this month.

Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: “There is a great deal of uncertainty in the forecast for Easter weekend at the moment, but what we’re looking at is temperatures slightly below average – about three or four degrees below average – and some rainfall coming through.

"Because it’s slightly colder as we’ve got cold air coming through from the north, [the rain] is likely to fall as snow in the north."

Snow is most likely in hilly areas such as Scottish Highlands and the Pennines.

“We’re not talking about anything like a fortnight ago or this weekend for southern areas," said Ms Maxey. "It’s fairly typical weather for March which is a transition month into summer.

"It will be a dusting over the mountains and more likely the further south you are the warmer it will be and the better weather you’ll get.”

Further snow is possible later in April, according to the Met Office.

Nearly every part of the UK was hit by snow during March as freezing weather swept across the country.

The army was drafted in to help hospitals and clear roads as Britain was blasted by the Siberian air of the so-called "beast from the east".