SNOW is set to hit the UK in a matter of hours, along with rare freezing rain, as a Scandinavian chill sweeps the country.
The Met Office has also warned of sleet, mist, fog and even floods over the coming days.
PAA plough clearing the snow in Northumberland this month[/caption]
Met OfficeA map reveals widespread rain on Saturday afternoon[/caption]
Met OfficeSnow can be seen across north England, east of England and Scotland at around midnight on Saturday[/caption]
Icy flurries of snow and freezing rain are expected to set in this evening on higher ground – such as in the hills and Scottish mountains.
Widespread frosts are also expected across the north and southeast.
A map by the Met Office then shows heavy rain falling over swathes of the UK going into the weekend.
On Saturday morning, Brits can expect icy blasts to continue across north England, northeast England and northern Scotland.
These will include more sleet, rain, snow and even freezing rain.
Southwest England, Northern Ireland and Wales will be hit with downpours of rain – as well as mist, murk and hill fog.
Moving into the evening, icy weather will set in across the Midlands and southeast – as rain persists across the southwest.
Brits will see a brighter Sunday in the east, but northern Scotland will see more sleet and snow.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has issued three flood warnings across Dorset.
Residents have been advised that their homes may flood – and told to make sure pumps are working if they have them.
28 further flood alerts are in place across the country – where flooding is possible but not expected.
Delivering the weekend forecast, meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “Through the weekend, less cold air tries to make inroads from the west, it comes up against the cold air to the east.
“In between we’ve got weather fronts and that will always lead at this time of year to a wintry mix of precipitation, rain, sleet, snow and even in some places, particularly the Pennines on Saturday, some freezing rain possible.
“And you can see the snow there across parts of northeast England into southeast Scotland, a small amount of snow also for the Grampian.”
He added that a “patchy covering of wet snow [was] possible across parts of northern England.”
However, “the more significant snow is likely to build up over the hills, so north York moors, the Pennines for example, and more especially the Grampians,” Aidan added.
In the southwest, temperatures are set to be “milder”.
Aidan added: “We’ve got Wales, the southwest of England and parts of Northern Ireland seeing rain rather than anything wintry.
“A lot of low cloud though, some mist, murk and hill fog. Temperatures of 8 or 9 degrees Celsius, back towards average, still feeling cold in the east.”
“Saturday evening, a lot of cloud across the UK, mist, murk, hill fog and those outbreaks of rain and drizzle.
Met OfficeMore snow is set to hit on Sunday morning[/caption]
Met OfficeRains should clear in the afternoon[/caption]
“But, they are turning increasingly wintry as the cold air makes a return so for the Midlands into the southeast and eastern parts of the UK we’re going to see again mostly light and patchy sleet and snow in places, even freezing rain one again.
“But towards the southwest, that’s where the less cold Atlantic air remains.
“Some brighter skies coming in towards the east [on Sunday afternoon]. Some cloud breaks. Could even see some sunshine in parts of east Anglia and the southeast.
“Northern Scotland also seeing some sleet and snow showers but some sunny spells in between. Average temperatures in the west, still feeling very cold in the east.”
Yesterday, meteorologists predicted that those in Manchester and Cumbria could wake up to 4cm of snow as the weekend wraps up.
UK 5 day weather forecast
Today:
Rather cloudy and windy across Northern Ireland, south and west Wales as well as southwest England, with some outbreaks of rain. A few showers in the far northeast. Elsewhere, early frost clearing then dry with bright spells. Another cold day.
Tonight:
Patchy rain moving northeast across the UK, giving some snow and perhaps freezing rain over some of the hills. Clear spells across the far north and southeast, with some frost.
Saturday:
Largely cloudy, cold and fairly breezy with outbreaks of rain. Some snow or freezing rain, chiefly over hills in the north. The far north and southeast seeing the best brightness.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:
Mostly cold and cloudy on Sunday and Monday with rain at times, especially in the north and west. Some hill snow. Brightening up from the south on Tuesday. Often breezy.
Source: Met Office
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