Spring set to start with a chill

14:43 29 March 2010

An icy blast is to greet the start of British summer time, the Met Office has warned.

Heavy rain and snow is expected across the UK, with Scotland and the North East bearing the brunt of the adverse conditions

Sunday saw the official start of spring as the nation's clocks were pushed forward an hour. However, it seems that the wintery weather is not yet ready to loosen its grip.

Records have confirmed that Britain suffered its worst winter in 30 years, as temperatures plummeted and widespread frost ice and heavy snow plunged the nation into chaos.

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Areas in northern Scotland have already seen temperatures drop below freezing, with reports of snow covering the ground in East Kilbride and falling in Glencoe and Glenshee.

Unsettled weather will hit the majority of the UK, with heavy rain increasingly turning to snow over higher ground with as much as 30cm (12in) possible in some locations.  

In addition to heavy rain, some parts of northern England and central and southern Scotland could see a spell of heavy snow, bringing the risk of some travel disruption.

Severe weather warnings for heavy snow on Tuesday have been issued for Strathclyde, Central, Tayside & Fife and Grampian, and Wednesday could also see flurries of snow affecting higher ground in parts of North east England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Tips for driving
How to get through
the snow and ice.

Met Office chief forecaster Will Lang said: "March weather is often very varied and snow is not unusual at this time of the year. Although there is some uncertainty about exact amounts of rain or snow, we will be closely monitoring this developing situation."

The snowiest Easter recorded was in 1983 when the Midlands ,Scotland, and Kent had up to 10 cm of snow.