Has spring finally arrived - or should we brace ourselves for snow over Easter?

The last couple of days have seen warmer temperatures and a welcome glimpse of the sun for many of us. But is it going to last?
The Met Office says snow is a possibility over Easter.The Met Office says snow is a possibility over Easter.
The Met Office says snow is a possibility over Easter.

Britain has experienced freezing conditions in recent weeks as snowfall was brought from Siberia by the weather front known as the 'Beast from the East'.

It was followed a couple of weeks later by more blizzards, and according to the Met Office, we may not have seen the last of winter yet - and we could even get more snow at Easter.

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Increasingly unsettled conditions are expected to develop later on Monday and into Tuesday as a frontal system arrives from the west, bringing a spell of heavy rain and the potential for strong winds to many parts.

Laura Paterson, Chief Operational Meteorologist for the Met Office, said: “The evolution of this system during the middle of next week is uncertain, but it does appear increasingly likely to herald the start of another colder spell for many parts of the UK.

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

If the weather pattern were to develop in line with this possibility, this would bring an increased risk of snow to many parts from Wednesday onwards, particularly across northern and central parts.

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Chris Bulmer, Deputy Chief Meteorologist, added: “However, there isn’t currently a clear signal for the timing and details of any potentially disruptive snow events.”

This colder spell is very unlikely to be as extreme as recent events. Ms Paterson added: “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.”

The Met Office says it will continue to monitor the situation and issue advice accordingly.