Britain set for wet and blustery Bank Holiday weekend

Temperatures on Friday will stay in single figures for most of the country and could dip below freezing in some parts overnight, driven down by cold air coming from the Arctic.

Up to six inches of snow is predicted to fall over higher ground in southern and eastern Scotland on Friday, with less at lower altitudes, prompting weather warnings from the Met Office.

A weather front blowing across the UK on Sunday night will bring rain and gale-force winds, making it feel colder, but it is not expected to turn into snow.

And forecasters believe Bank Holiday Monday will be blighted by rain rather than snow - but warned that predictions could change.

Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: "Cold air coming in from the Arctic is suppressing temperatures, bringing colder weather in, and any precipitation we get will be wintry showers.

"Temperatures on Friday will reach 7C or 8C in northern England, and will warm up slightly by a degree or two over the weekend.

"But it will still feel quite cool in the wind. Saturday is looking to be the best day of the weekend, with a mixture of sunshine and showers.

"However Sunday and Monday are looking like blustery days, and for Bank Holiday Monday, a weather front will bring quite a lot of rain and strong winds, possibly gale-force."