A MAP has revealed exactly where the heaviest snow is expected to fall in England as Arctic air sweeps across the nation. The Met Office has predicted snowfall across many regions as

A wall of snow is set to hit the UK in a massive band stretching from west of Swansea in Wales to Norwich in England with up to 10 inches settling in some places

Amber and yellow weather warnings are in place across the UK as the first weekend of the New Year looks set to be a chilly one.

The maps show a pre-dawn fresh blizzard almost the length of the British Isles sweeping in, with the mercury potentially plunging as low as -12C (10.4F) in parts of the Scottish Highlands, the Daily Express reports.

The Met Office's long range forecast for Tuesday, January 8, to Saturday, January 17, warns of 'significant snow accumulations in places, particularly on northern hills'

Snowfall is predicted to commence at 6am across Cumbria, Lancashire and northern Wales, with accumulations reaching 1.6 inches per hour in certain regions, whilst by 6pm, precipitation is anticipated in Monmouthshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, and Manchester.

Met Office weather maps show a 280-mile-wide band of moderate-heavy snow forecast to hit parts of England and Wales late on Thursday and into Friday. Maps show snow showers forming over higher ground in Wales from around 3pm on Thursday, before building into a large band of heavy snow by 9pm and extending northeast into England.