Met Office Forecast Of Snow Delivers Wintry Weather In Spring

#snowday.

The weather wizards at the Met Office promised us snow, and the sky gods have delivered.

The Arctic blast also brought hail and storm-force winds on the first official day of spring on Monday.

This was a surprise this morning! #snow #Edinburgh #firstdayofspring pic.twitter.com/ExbzEAUPqW

— Leonie Paterson (@leonie_paterson) March 21, 2017

2 snowmen in a garden. 1 says....can you smell carrots? #snow #glasgow pic.twitter.com/KBJzQbtfIF

— john devlin (@2point8_photos) March 21, 2017

✨Live ... Snow falling in the West of Ireland✨ #Galway #snow #Ireland #Wildatlanticway 📷March 21 pic.twitter.com/52RItb2l8e

— M Mullarkey (@mauramullarkey) March 21, 2017

Murky day on the road! #Scotland #rural #snow pic.twitter.com/bulvuToUwr

— TartanJigsaw (@TartanJigsaw) March 21, 2017

#snow this morning - had to dig out gloves an hats again #dunblane pic.twitter.com/cxQ6n8n6oo

— Lynn Hogg (@More4mums) March 21, 2017

Second day of Spring! That's why we ❤ Scotland.#snow @Love_plants pic.twitter.com/in1pczRsQ8

— Plantlife Scotland (@PlantlifeScot) March 21, 2017

Forecaster Grahame Madge said: “During the week, there is a likelihood we will see wintry showers in parts of north England as well on high ground and there will be a mix of hail, sleet and snow.”

There will be heavy showers in the evening, with the chance of precipitation turning into snow in areas above 100m, particularly in northern Ireland and Scotland.

Between 1-3cm of snow are likely in many areas between 100-200m, and 5cm+ is expected above 300m.

A cold start today with wintry #showers in the west, but some lovely crisp #sunshine too. Photos from Edinburgh, East Kilbride & Norwich pic.twitter.com/UxHRE9FgX9

— Met Office (@metoffice) March 21, 2017

A yellow severe weather warning for #snow has been issued: https://t.co/TmvTfmDfrK. Stay #weatheraware @metofficeuk pic.twitter.com/0kpltrWaeH

— Met Office (@metoffice) March 21, 2017

Showers will continue through Tuesday, with any lying snow at lower levels set to melt. Due to the unstable air, there is also a chance of wintry showers of hail and lightning – translating into an outside chance of thundersnow.

A rare weather phenomenon, thundersnow is caused in the same way thunder and lightning are triggered during the warmer months, when a pocket of warm air at ground level rises and collides with the colder air above it.

Even if temperatures are freezing or in the minus figures, the air above it is significantly cooler. In the summer months, this process creates heavy rain showers and lightning storms.

In the cooler winter months, the country is pelted with snow instead.

Fine and sunny spells are forecast for the weekend, but temperatures could still fall below freezing overnight.

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