HEAVY snow and freezing temperatures are set to batter the UK as a second Beast from the East could be on its way.

Back in 2018 we saw havoc break out across the UK as the first Beast from the East covered the nation in a blanket of snow.

And now the Met Office has said a second cold snap could hit the UK from the middle of next week, bringing with it the potential for heavy snow and plummeting temperatures.

Andover already has a yellow weather warning for snow and ice in place on Saturday and Sunday but wintery conditions are expected to last into next week.

On its website the Met Office says: ‘Snow showers in the far north-east of the UK will spread southwards. Chance of heavier snow for a time in the south."

What is a 'Beast from the East'?

The 'Beast from the East' is a phrase used to describe cold and wintry conditions in the UK as a result of easterly winds from the near continent.

When pressure is high over Scandinavia, the UK tends to experience a polar continental air mass. 

When this happens in winter, cold air is drawn in from the Eurasian landmass, bringing the cold and wintry conditions that give rise to the 'Beast from the East' moniker.

Met Office weather forecast for the Andover next week

Monday 8 Feb - Wednesday 17 Feb

An area of high pressure looks to build to the north, and it will likely feel cold or very cold, especially in brisk easterly winds.

Snow showers are possible across the country during the early part of the period, but most widespread and heaviest for northeastern areas.

Drier weather to follow, with widespread overnight frosts, although wintry showers can still feed in from the east coast.

Any organised areas of cloud and precipitation arriving from the southwest will not progress very far into the country as a result of the high pressure.

However, they can bring the potential for widespread snow across areas where they bump into cold air. Patches of ice and other disruptive wintry hazards remain a possibility for all areas.