Almost all of the UK could be blanketed in snow within two weeks, as forecasts predict 85 counties could be impacted. According to weather maps by WXCharts, an icy blast will blanket all of Scotland, Wales, most of England and parts of Northern Ireland from midday on April 12.

In England, all areas north of Birmingham will be hit by heavy snowfall, with up to 2cm of snow predicted for areas such as Northumbria. However, the majority of the South will be spared, except for Cornwall and Devon in the southwest peninsula. Areas in the north of Wales could see up to 5cm of snowfall per hour and settle in the south, indicated by light purple on the map, while parts of western Northern Ireland could also be impacted.

Scotland will be engulfed by the storm, but the Highlands is forecast to be the worst-hit area.

It could break a week of relatively settled weather as the UK prepares to enter a "dry and bright" period, the Met Office said separately, due to an anti-cyclone heading over this week.

The Met Office's long-range forecast for April 4 to April 13 predicts the weather may become more unsettled towards the end of the period.

It said: "There is the chance of some areas of low cloud or fog, especially around some coasts. Later in the period, it may turn more unsettled at times as rain or showers try and push in from the west."