TEMPERATURES could plummet to as low as -7C in Scotland as warmer weekend weather is replaced by "bitterly cold" conditions.
It comes after highs of 17.9C (64.2F) were recorded in the UK on Easter Sunday.
Met Office yellow warnings are in place until 10am on Tuesday for Scotland, with winds of up to 70mph expected.
Snow has also been forecast across much of the country, with blizzard-like conditions already hitting the north east.
Braemar, Scotland. Video from Chris Booth #uksnow pic.twitter.com/kgQE1sI8i1
— Snow Watch (@snowwatchGB) April 4, 2021
Snowy morning -5c with it too pic.twitter.com/5GINgxuQa8
— Highlandweather (@highlandweather) April 5, 2021
Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge explained that a change of wind direction would bring a change in the atmosphere, leading to chilly weather.
He said: "The air we had on Sunday came in from the south so it's pretty mild having come off the continent.
"Overnight we'll see a cold front moving southward across the country, it's already across northern Scotland, and it'll push its way southward overnight.
"That will introduce much, much colder air across the whole country."
He said the mercury could drop to -7C in some areas of Scotland.
Snow warnings are in place for northern parts of the country, with as much as 15cm falling in higher areas. Other areas will see snowfall of 1 to 2cm.
The Met Office has said that snow showers could occur nearly anywhere in the UK early in the week.
On Monday morning, sleet was seen as far south as Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
The east and west coasts are likely to see a "wintry mix" of showers, which may include some hail.
Areas away from the coast are expected to be dry and bright on Monday, but with strong winds and below average temperatures, largely in the mid-single figures.
Average temperatures for this time of year are around 10 to 12C but parts of the UK saw the mercury reach nearly 24C (75.2F) on Wednesday.
Regions and local authorities affected:
Central, Tayside & Fife
Angus
Perth and Kinross
Stirling
Grampian
Aberdeen
Aberdeenshire
Moray
Highlands & Eilean Siar
Highland
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute
Orkney & Shetland
Orkney Islands
Shetland Islands
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