article_snippet: After Russia basked in 17.5C heat last week with thousands of people flocking to parks and beaches, the start of spring is to be pushed back by a 'raw' polar blast from the North-east.
article_snippet: The forecast will come as a disappointment after spring appeared to have arrived at the beginning of the month.
article_snippet: Last week the mercury hit 17.5C on the hottest day of the year and some parts of the UK were warmer than Mediterranean hot-spots such as Rome and Athens.
article_snippet: Warmer in the South: 
highlights_snippet: Weekend temperatures are a stark contrast to last week, when mercury hit 17.5C on the hottest day of the year .