UK weather: Snow storm forecast as 32 counties face two inches an hour THIS WEEK

After weeks of mild temperatures and blooming spring sunshine, the UK is bracing for a dramatic turn in the , with forecast to sweep across parts of the country this week, new weather maps reveal.

According to WXCharts, the sudden cold snap will make an unexpected return from Wednesday April 16 - with at least 32 counties braced for snow and plunging temperatures. It will begin in the north of the country, with snowfall expected in Edinburgh, Inverness, and Dumfries and Galloway by noon on April 16. Temperatures up and down the country will hover between 0C and 4C as a blast of cool air sweeps across the UK. Weather maps suggest flurries are expected on both Wednesday, April 16 and Friday, April 18. During the early hours of Friday morning, Wales is set to welcome snow in Wrexham, Shropshire, Snowdonia and Powys, as wintry conditions unexpectedly return at the height of spring.

As the morning progresses, areas across the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber, including , Huddersfield, Bradford and the Yorkshire Dales, will welcome brief flurries at around 6am. Temperatures during this time will sit between 4C and 6C, according to WXCharts' predictions.

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It comes after the warned of "mixed conditions" during the latter half of April, with a risk of hail, thunder and strong winds.

In its long-range forecast from Friday, April 18 until Sunday, April 27, the national weather agency says: "Mixed conditions across the UK at the start of this period and the first weekend. Showers or longer spells of rain are likely across many regions, these heavy at times with a risk of hail and thunder, perhaps accompanied by strong winds. Some drier and brighter interludes are also likely at times, but probably with large amounts of cloud.

"Temperatures will likely be near normal overall. Into the following week, a similar pattern is likely at first with unsettled conditions at times with a risk of some heavy rain or showers. Later in the week settled weather is expected to become more prevalent, with more in the way of dry, sunny weather developing. Temperatures will probably be around normal or slightly above."

Brits have also been issued a separate warning ahead of the shift in weather conditions, which could see some areas flooding this week, sparking concerns of an Easter washout. Forecasters have stressed that heavy rain could trigger travel disruption and powercuts in western Britain at the start of this week.

The Met Office warned disastrous flooding is expected to hit some areas between Tuesday and Wednesday.

In total, 37 areas have been plunged under a yellow weather warning. The alert is set from 12pm in the afternoon on Tuesday, until midday on Wednesday.

The Met Office said in a statement: "A spell of heavy and persistent rain is expected to move north across western Britain during Tuesday into early Wednesday. Whilst there is some uncertainty in where the heaviest rain will fall, 20-40 mm of rain is expected fairly widely.

"A few places may see 50-75 mm of rain during this period: gradually building up in the west following rain on Monday, whilst in parts of the east, falling in shorter periods where heavy showers and thunderstorms become slow-moving."

Met Office spokesman Craig Snell said from Tuesday, there will be “plenty of wet weather”, particularly in England and Wales. Towards the end of the week and into the long Easter weekend, he said it would become a “changeable picture".