Snow could return within days as cold air is expected to descend on Scotland from later this week

A late winter blanket of snow could hit Scotland at the end of the coming week as bitterly cold air is forecast to descend on the country.

The Met Office is predicting a band of local high pressure to centre over the majority of Scotland from as early as this coming Friday.

Colder than average temperatures are expected with the possibility of sleet and snow returning to the country.

Netweather is anticipating the worst of the conditions to hit on Tuesday, March 9 - with the website saying that there is a high chance of the white stuff landing from the morning.

The worst of the conditions could hit Scotland on March 9 (Netweather)

Parts of the Highlands, Dumfries and Galloway and areas of southern Ayrshire could be the worst affected according to experts.

The risk of snow is expected to remain in place in large parts of the country until Sunday, March 14.

Met Office experts have given a long-range prediction of the weather expected to hit the UK between March 5 to 14.

It reads: “Confidence is high for this period as local high pressure is expected to give a mostly settled outlook.

Heavy snowfall rocked large parts of the country earlier this month (AFP via Getty Images)

“With the high most likely centred over Scotland, this will bring a cold northerly air flow and a possibility of light sleet and snow flurries for a time into northern and eastern coasts.

“Otherwise, most areas will stay fine and dry with plenty of sunny spells.

“Any spells of rain and stronger winds are likely to occur in the north and west where front incursions are most likely, or into the south around the base of the high.

“Where skies clear overnight, frost and fog patches may become prevalent. Temperatures are likely to start off colder than normal, due to northerly air flow, before slowly returning to around average.”

Temperatures plummeted to a low of -22C in Braemar in February (REUTERS)

Scotland’s weather forecasts were dominated by warnings for snow, wind and rain during the opening months of 2021.

Several inches of the white stuff landed over some days, while floods rocked a number of rural communities in recent weeks.

Temperatures also plummeted to as low as -22C during the peak of the cold snap in February.

However, Scots have been enjoying higher than average temperatures across the country over the past few days.