Met Office experts have updated their prediction on a major weather event taking place later this month.

Weather forecasters have sounded an early warning of a Polar vortex heading towards the UK at the end of February and beginning of March.

The polar vortex is a large area of low-pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth's poles. It weakens in summer and strengthens in winter.

These were the conditions that led to the notorious Beast from the East a couple of years ago when the country was pummeled by snow storms.

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The UK has already experienced one minor sudden stratospheric warming event in January when the country suffered a cold snap - and now Met Office officials say another is due within weeks.

Professor Adam Scaife, head of long-range forecasting at the Met Office, predicts the chance of this happening as 'over 80%'.

However, he says it is still too early to draw a definite conclusion on what this will mean for our weather.

The UK is likely to experience the impact in late February and into March.

The latest long range forecast says: "Temperatures expected to be mostly around average, but a period of colder or much colder temperatures remains a small possibility and could bring spells of wintry weather."

Experts say that a sudden stratospheric warming "does not always equate to a 'Beast from the East' type scenario". While this is what happened in 2018, the Met Office pointed out that there was also a similar event in 2019 that had little impact on the weather.

Here is the weather for later this week in the North East:

Tuesday:

Mist and fog clearing on Tuesday morning to some sunshine. Feeling mild by afternoon with light southerly winds. Maximum temperature 12 °C.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Wednesday cloudier with chance of rain. Rain and freshening winds arriving overnight with Thursday turning drier with some brightness. Friday bright with sunny spells and a chance of showers.

Tuesday:

Mist and fog clearing on Tuesday morning to some sunshine. Feeling mild by afternoon with light southerly winds. Maximum temperature 12 °C.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Wednesday cloudier with chance of rain. Rain and freshening winds arriving overnight with Thursday turning drier with some brightness. Friday bright with sunny spells and a chance of showers.

Feb 18th - 27th

On Saturday, a further warm front will push northeastwards, reintroducing mild and moist conditions countrywide bringing cloudy skies, with drizzle for windward coasts and upland areas. Fairly breezy with the best of the cloud breaks found in the lee of higher ground. The heaviest rain is likely to be across northwestern hills once again. Later in the period, low pressure is likely to the north with higher pressure building from the south. Frontal zones in the northwest are likely, making progress south or southeastwards, but bringing most of the rainfall to the northwest. Otherwise, a good deal of dry weather with clear and sunny spells, allowing isolated fog patches to form overnight in the south where lighter winds. Windy at times in the north. Temperatures remain generally milder than average.

Feb 27th - March 13th

The end of February is likely to see a continuation of changeable conditions, with the wettest and windiest weather most probable across the northwest. The south and east may see some shorter spells of wet weather, although overall conditions should remain drier and more settled. Into March, high pressure is expected to develop to the north of the UK and low pressure to the south. This is likely to introduce a north-south split, with drier conditions across the north and wetter conditions in the south. Temperatures expected to be mostly around average, but a period of colder or much colder temperatures remains a small possibility and could bring spells of wintry weather.