More spring snow and ice before temperatures bounce back up again

After a windy and (very brief!) milder respite to the start the week, the cold returned yesterday as arctic air plunged across the UK.

Rain, sleet and snow sank north to south overnight and into the morning, with frost and ice forming again as temperatures fell well below freezing - as low as -7C in places. 

There will be a cold, wintry feel over the next couple of days - more so in the biting blustery winds.

Southern Scotland, northern England and parts of Wales will be prone to more rain, sleet and snow today - much of the snow for higher ground. 

It is worth noting that any lying fresh snow will be short-lived this time of the year, as the days get longer and the March sun gets a little stronger. 

Any slush and lying snow will re-freeze again tonight, leaving it dangerously icy once more.

Come later, Wednesday into Thursday, a switch to south-west Atlantic airflow will mean the milder air takes over more.

With more rain forecast, expect steady thaw.

By Friday, temperatures will be nearer 17-18C for areas of north Wales and north-west England. 

At this stage, cold air is poised to make a reappearance on Sunday - but details will become clearer in the coming days. 

The weather flipping from cold to mild this time of year is not unheard of and in recent years it's been marked for quicker and more recent flips. 

After the exceptional snow and wind chill from Beast from the East in March 2018 - temperatures recovered and rose at a startling rate.

The start of April was much warmer than usual, with one of the warmest April days ever recorded. 

For meteorologists, spring has long been known as fickle. 

The days get longer, the sun gets stronger - but spring snow is never a surprise.

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