Spring is in the air... Can Yorkshire finally say farewell to winter?

The Met Office said there will be more sun and increasingly mild conditions nationwide, with levels rising from Thursday as a tropical maritime air travels up.

On Thursday, temperatures are predicted to reach 10C (50F) in southern England with figures for the rest of the UK still high, reaching up to 9C (48.2F).

These conditions are expected to reach Scotland with only north-west England and Wales excluded from the surge.

This area will stay wet and cloudy, flat-lining at around 7C (44.6F), but is still expected to be milder than usual improving by a couple of degrees at the weekend.

In the rest of the UK, the weekend marks the beginning of accelerating temperatures - up to 11C (51.8F) in the north.

Wintry nights will also end as levels reach “well above freezing” across the UK by Friday. Met Office spokeswoman Lindsay Mears said: “It should be getting warmer towards the end of the week, starting on Thursday.”

Tropical maritime air can raise temperatures above average, travelling from the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean between the Azores and Bermuda.

Your guide to the week ahead...

Today:

Outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow will arrive from the west this morning, potentially falling onto frozen ground to give a risk of ice. Snow will be mainly over high ground, giving locally small accumulations. Becoming drier later this afternoon. Maximum Temperature 7 °C.

Tonight:

Briefly dry, some clear spells and becoming chilly. Overnight temperatures will rise as rain, sleet or snow arrives. The snow will be mostly limited to the Pennines. Minimum Temperature 1 °C.

Wednesday:

Heavy rain at times through the morning, then gradually becoming lighter through the afternoon. Also possibly sleet and snow at times, but mainly across the Pennines. Feeling cold everywhere. Maximum Temperature 6 °C.

Outlook for Thursday to Saturday:

Thursday some early mist or fog patches, then dry and bright. Friday cloudy, milder, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Saturday will be noticeably milder, mainly dry and cloudy.