UK snow forecast – ‘White Valentine’s Day’ on cards in -3C plunge after four inches rain and 50mph gales this weekend

VALENTINE’S Day plans could be frozen as Brits brace for a whiteout February 14.

But lovers are in for lashings of rain and gale-force winds before the snow comes down.

NorthpixTraffic battles through a blizzard on the A9 at Arpafeelie near Inverness[/caption]

SWNSThe early morning sunrise in the New Forest, Hampshire[/caption]

Northern England and Scotland will bear the brunt of the storm, with a smattering of hill snow this morning.

Temperatures will hover around 6C or 7C for most, but 50mph gusts will make it feel markedly colder.

The mercury will then plunge on Sunday, dipping close to freezing in eastern and south-eastern England.

Rain will also bucket down for many, making for pretty miserable conditions.

More than four inches is expected in some spots, sparking a yellow weather warning for rain for much of Wales until 6pm.

And the cold, wet snap means truly wintry weather come Monday – just in time for the most romantic day of the year.

Weather charts show temperatures plunging to -3C in Scotland overnight, rising to a measly 4C during the day.

Meanwhile in England Brits will have to endure highs of 6C in Newcastle, 7C in Nottingham and 8C in London.

Up to half an inch of snow could also fall every hour into the afternoon – after just as much over the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines.

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “It’s turning unsettled as we head into the weekend with spells of rain, windy, and very changeable across the country.

“Initially some hill snow for parts of Scotland and northern England but strong, and in places gale-force, south-westerly wind will bring milder air with it and it largely ends up as rain.

“Damp initially and then some heavier and more persistent rain setting in for northern England, parts of Wales and eventually reaching Devon and Cornwall

“Wild wet and windy weather for the second part of the weekend.

“Coastal gales for the south coast, heavy and prolonged rain in places, particularly over Wales where the rain will really mount up, perhaps 60 to 100mm over more exposed spots.

“All in all a wet and windy Sunday for the vast majority.”

Netweather forecaster Jo Farrow added: “Something colder, briefly, for Monday with more snow showers for northern Scotland.

“Then we’ll be watching a developing low pressure moving in from the Atlantic for the middle of next week.

“With a strong jet core powering across the Atlantic, it could turn stormy here.”

NorthpixDave Wells clears snow in the village of Tomatin in the Scottish Highlands[/caption]

Weather maps show chilly temperatures for Sunday and Monday

WXChartsSnow looks set to fall in parts of Scotland on Valentine’s Day[/caption]

Cover ImagesLarge waves crash against Porthcawl Lighthouse, South Wales[/caption]