Spring's not here just yet: Heavy showers are set to be followed by another BIG FREEZE just as schools break up with snow over Easter weekend

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Britain is set for more bad weather with heavy rain and snow expected to arrive in time for the Easter holidays.

Downpours are expected to batter the UK with up to 40mm of rain due to fall over parts of the North, followed by more snow with bitterly cold northerly winds sending temperatures plummeting to -4C.

A Met Office spokesperson said that the mild temperatures would drop in the coming days with areas of low pressure bringing on heavy showers into the new week. 

Families hoping for sunnier Spring-time weather over the Easter holidays could be left bitterly disappointed as more frost and snow is expected over parts of the North East and into the North. 

Britain is set for more bad weather with heavy rain and snow expected to arrive in time for the Easter holidays. Downpours are expected to batter the UK with up to 40mm of rain due to fall over parts of the North, followed by more snow with bitterly cold northerly winds sending temperatures plummeting to -4C 

This comes after Britons have experienced treacherous conditions with snow and frost causing cimmuter chaos during March. 

A weatherman for the BBC said: 'Some computer models are suggesting that we are going to have a blast of cold Arctic air with wind coming in from the north.

'In this situation we do tend to get snow across northern Britain and there could even be wintry showers further south as well.

'That's one suggestion. Today some of the computer models were showing that actually some of the cold air could be coming in from Scandinavia and parts of Russia which is almost a Beast from the East, not quite, let's call it a Beast from the North East. 

Families hoping for sunnier Spring-time weather over the Easter holidays could be left bitterly disappointed as more frost and snow is expected over parts of the North East and into the North

The south coastal resort of Dartmouth, known usually for its above average climate, pictured covered in snow on Monday

'Now this could still wobble a little bit but one thing we are getting increasingly confident about it that the air is not going to be coming from the south so get ready for a potentially chilly Easter.'

Forecaster Amy Hodgson, of The Weather Channel, told The Mirror the chilly outlook is still in response to the sudden stratospheric warming event and polar vortex split which took place back in February.

She added that the extended cold period is caused by high pressure blocking warmer air from sweeping across the country from the south-west.

Heavy snow overnight on Sunday left snow drifts six foot high. Above, vehicles stranded near Ilfracombe, north Devon on Monday 

She said: 'For April, we expect temperatures to remain below normal across northern Europe.

'This is still in response to the sudden stratospheric warming event (SSWE) and polar vortex split which occurred back in February.'

While research by Dr Todd Crawford, chief meteorologist at The Weather Channel, told the paper these events can lead to prolonged cold weather and a negative North Atlantic Oscillation 30 to 60 days after the initial split.

Meteorologists are warning Easter weekend is predicted to be unseasonably chilly, with extreme lows of -9C in places

Bitterly cold winds from the east and north-east normally dominate during a negative North Atlantic Oscillation phase.

This could mean one more 'Beast from the East' could occur before May as dry and cold conditions take charge under high pressure throughout much of April.

He said: 'As we head into April, most computer forecast models suggest we will get at least one more big cold spell before the blocking pattern fades, with warmer and wetter weather confined to parts of southern Europe.'

Pictured: Farmers in their tractors help to clear the snow from a blocked road on Exmoor, Somerset 

'White Easter': The Weather Channel UK tweeted a word of warning to followers this morning

'When will it end?': Long-range forecasts suggest two more spells of cold are on their way 

This will be caused by two cold fronts moving from across the Atlantic to the West and Siberia to the East