Bookies have slashed the odds on next month being the coldest March on record.
It comes after warnings Britain may be plunged into the freezer by a chilly Arctic blast.
The chance of dramatic temperature change is being blamed on a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) and polar vortex, the same phenomenon which brought freezing air to the UK in the form of the “Beast from the East” in 2018.
And after a dry and mild February, temperatures are expected to plummet to lower than the average 2-9C, with snow and frost possible in parts of the country.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “It does look like the month will begin on the cold side. There is quite a chilly week to come.
“The first week is likely to see temperatures below average but not exceptionally so.
“But from next weekend onwards there are some small indications we will see winds switch to a northerly direction and that will bring much colder conditions southwards.
“It is going to be Scotland and the north eastern parts of the UK that are likely to see any snow from that spell.
“But at this stage it is quite finely balanced. We could start to see a bit more of milder Atlantic flow develop from the middle part of the month onwards.
“Really it is too early to say but it does look like at the moment that March has a slightly higher chance of being a colder month than a milder month.”
He said the next few days are expected to stay dry but chilly, with some overnight frosts, in what are “pretty standard conditions for the time of the year.”
Clear skies in northern Scotland have seen overnight temperatures of -8C and that will continue into the week.
But in England and Wales lows of -3C are expected once the sun goes down.
Despite the uncertainty, Ladbrokes has taken no chances and slashed the odds on next month going down as the coldest March on record from 4/1 to just 2/1.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "The incoming Beast from the East has forced us to slash odds on next month playing host to the coldest March on record.”
In its long range forecasts on its website, the Met Office said from Thursday onwards “showers, possibly wintry, are expected for the north and east at times, especially for coastal areas.”
Temperatures will be “generally rather cold” with “an increased likelihood of wintry showers in the north and east” and the “small possibility of more organised rain or snow spreading southwards”.
It added: ”Northwestern areas are likely to stay driest throughout. Temperatures are likely to remain below average to start, although a trend towards average temperatures is most likely later on.
"Despite this trend, short colder spells remain possible, and are more likely than average.”
In the second half of the month there are fears of rain and snow “combining with stronger winds to become locally disruptive”.
By the end of the month temperatures are expected to return to normal for the time of year.
