A miserable combination of snow, sleet, hail and rain will sweep across Britain in the run-up to the Easter holiday.
The barrage of low pressure systems from the Atlantic will bring unsettled, wet and windy conditions for large parts of the country to start the week, with temperatures around the seasonal average.
The nation is likely to be split with unsettled weather in southern areas and more raw conditions in the north when another bout of bitter air from Scandinavia rolls in from the east.
A risk of some wintry weather increases by Wednesday as temperatures drop to below normal when the more eastern airflow returns, while there is the potential for some quite turbulent winds in the south later this week.
Forecast models indicate the continuation of wet and windy weather for the south, but harsher conditions further north the colder Scandinavian air ripping through parts of Scotland.
Some brighter spells are likely but rain will be slow to clear, turning to snow in the far north. Wintry showers are also predicted for the hills of northern England and Wales.
The Met Office says night temperatures will be between 1 and 3oC for the majority of the week but these will plummet to zero on Easter Sunday.
They say rain is scheduled for large parts of Good Friday as well as Easter Saturday afternoon although it will be dry and cold on Easter Sunday.
A spokesman for the Met Office said: "It will be turning colder Wednesday and Thursday with sunshine and scattered showers, perhaps wintry at times over hills. Early rain with some hill snow on Friday clearing to scattered showers and overnight frosts."
Forecaster Amy Hodgson, of The Weather Channel , said: “Pressure will start to lower from the north-west on Monday introducing wet and windier weather across the British Isles.
“Up to 10mm of rain will fall across Ireland on Monday afternoon, then spreading across England, Wales and Scotland through Tuesday morning. “Wintry showers will also affect Scotland, and the hills of northern England and Wales on Wednesday.”
