It is supposed to herald the arrival of spring but the “white Easter” predicted for this weekend is expected to be the coldest and wettest for a decade.

Snow across northern England yesterday saw children out sledging and building snowmen on a holiday normally celebrated searching among the daffodils for chocolate eggs and a surge of customers to garden centres.

The frosty conditions were accompanied by a series of road accidents including smashes on several motorways.

The bad weather follows the arrival from Iceland of a severe depression sucking cold, wet air southwards from the Arctic. Today forecasters were predicting similar conditions across southern England too.

Anton Muscat, at the Met Office, said: “Large parts of Britain will see a white Easter. Overnight a system from Iceland will move south and eastwards, bringing snow and sleet to northern England and the Midlands early on Easter Sunday.

“Later on it will arrive in the southeast where we could get a couple of centimetres of snow.”

The topsy-turvy nature of Britain’s current climate is highlighted by the contrast with last month, which emerged as the sunniest February since 1929, with temperatures 2.5C above average. It also contrasts with last Easter, when Britain basked in temperatures as high as 21C — although the holiday fell later, on April 8.

With up to 16m vehicles expected to take to the roads over the weekend, the Highways Agency warned motorists to expect treacherous conditions, particularly on higher parts of the M6, the A66, A69 and M62.

Yesterday, the weather was already taking its toll with both lanes of the M6 near Sandbach, Cheshire, closed for several hours after a six-vehicle crash. Seven people were seriously injured.

To add to the misery Network Rail has planned 30 engineering projects over the four-day break, leading to cancellations and delays. More than 2m passengers face problems as they try to get home tomorrow.

The snow is, however, unlikely to last, with daytime temperatures predicted to average 4C to 5C today and up to 7C in western areas. By Monday, the snow will turn to showers.

For more on Easter weekend travel:

Roads:
www.highways.gov.uk/traffic/
www.theaa.com/travelwatch/travel_news.jsp
www.rac.co.uk/web/trafficnews/
www.keepmoving.co.uk/home_content.aspx?content=easter-2008

Trains:
www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/easter_2008/
www.atoc-comms.org/

Railway engineering works:
www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/4615.aspx

Flights:
www.baa.com

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