Parts of Scotland have experienced snow and hail flurries on Monday as cold air from the Arctic has seen temperatures plummet. 

Unseasonably cold weather on Monday saw temperatures some six to eight Celsius below average for late April in certain parts of Scotland.

The Met Office is predicting a cold week ahead, with wintry showers set to continue across the north of Scotland.

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The national weather service said temperatures could drop to as low as -7 in the Highlands on Monday evening.

While it will turn milder in the south of the UK, the weather service has warned that it will stay colder in the extreme northeast with a few wintry showers, with milder air not pushing into northern Scotland until potentially the end of the week.

As a low-pressure system moves eastward away from the UK on Monday, cold Arctic air already in place for parts of Scotland will spread south across the rest of the UK by early Tuesday.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “This week will see temperatures below average for the time of year for many. Blustery winds will become confined to the far northeast overnight, with winds falling light elsewhere. This will allow widespread frost by night, though in sunshine by day, it should feel pleasant enough.

"Wintry showers will continue across the northeast, becoming confined to Orkney and Shetland by tomorrow afternoon."

Looking further ahead, Deputy Chief Meteorologist Nick Silkstone said: “It will potentially take until the end of the week for the milder air to push as far north as northern Scotland.”

As the milder air pushes in temperatures will once again trend upwards and be mostly a little above average by the bank holiday weekend, although still perhaps remaining nearer average in the extreme northeast.