BRITAIN will be frozen by an icy blast of snow next week as heavy rain and wild winds are also forecast to batter the country.
The Met Office warned snow will fall in areas of Scotland as the mercury plunges below zero on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Britain will be frozen by an icy blast and snow next week – runners enjoy the snow on Saddleworth Moor near Oldham on March 31 this year
Snow and blustery wind and rain will arrive next week – similar to scenes in Ipswich, Suffolk, in March
And the snow is unlikely to melt anytime soon as Britain braces itself for an autumnal cold snap starting next week.
A Met Office spokesperson told Seconds Away: “There is a bit of snow in showers over the Scottish mountains next week.
“This will fall in the Cairngorms, in the Highlands and in non-populated areas from the middle of next week.
“I wouldn’t have thought that snow which will fall is likely to melt.
“And I would think it [snow] will be a consistent thing that will stay there throughout now.”
The Met Office stressed snowfall in these areas is nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.
But the forecasters told Seconds Away the mercury will plunge to freezing for many living in northern areas from the middle of next week.
This will be accompanied by wet and windy spells at times blowing in from the west.
But from today through to the end of the weekend Brits will be blasted with yet more unsettled conditions.
Friday will see a band of heavy rain move from the north southwards across England and Wales.
The south east will escape the worst of the rain, remaining dry and bright throughout the morning.
Meanwhile Scotland and Northern Ireland will see sunshine and showers, the BBC reported.
Despite the rain, Friday will see highs of a balmy 19C in London, 19C in Norwich, 16C in Cardiff, 15C in Hull and 14C in Aberdeen.
Tonight temperatures plummet to around 5C and 6C for much of the country.
But an area of high pressure will usher in dry and bright conditions for much of England on Saturday while Scotland will see cloud and rain.
Saturday will see highs of 17C in Cardiff, 17C in Plymouth, 16C in Hull, 15C in Liverpool and 13C in Aberdeen.
Sunday will then turn windy in the north as a band of rain sweeps in from the west, but the south will remain largely dry with bright spells.
