Britain is bracing for an Icelandic storm with up to 4cm of snow falling per hour, experts say. The UK could be on the receiving end of a major low-pressure system over the next week, according to the latest weather maps.
The forecast predicts it will make landfall in the north of England toward the end of Saturday, April 27, next weekend, before the majority of rain and snow falls on the Sunday.
The low-pressure system seems to originate off the south coast of Greenland and heads east to Iceland on Friday, April 26. As we move into Saturday, the weather system is expected to shift southeast, heading directly for the UK.
READ MORE: Parents left disappointed after rush to get children places at 'outstanding' Midlands primary school
Get the latest news direct via our WhatsApp community here
Win one of 10 £100 vouchers for top supermarkets in our Hovis competition
An initial burst of rain is predicted from about midday on Saturday, primarily affecting Northern Ireland, Wales, the northwest of England, and the west of Scotland. In the most extreme cases, up to 1cm of rainfall is expected to fall every hour.
By midday on Sunday, the eye of the low-pressure system is projected to be directly between Northern Ireland and Scotland. Massive amounts of snow are expected with the storm, with more than 4cm of snowfall per hour predicted in the middle of Scotland, reports the Mirror.
In the evening, snow could also make an appearance in the middle of Wales, as well as the northwest of England, according to WXCharts.
The storm is anticipated to pass beyond the southwest of England and into the Atlantic Ocean by midday on Monday April 29.
The Met Office has indicated that from Thursday, April 25 to Saturday, May 4, we're likely to see a shift in the weather pattern as low pressure takes over, signalling an end to the drier conditions experienced at the start of next week.
Their forecast reads: "High pressure will likely be retreating to the northwest of the UK at the start of this period, with conditions turning generally more unsettled than the previous few days as low pressure becomes more dominant. Wet weather is perhaps more likely to develop in parts of the south and east, with western and especially northern areas hanging on to the best of any drier interludes, though all parts may have some rain at times."
They added: "Onshore winds along eastern coasts will likely make it feel rather cold at times, though for all parts temperatures will often be a little below average. Into early May, something of a north-south split looks possible, with relatively drier conditions further to the north and the greatest chance of rain further to the south."
But before this change, the UK can expect more settled weather, although it will remain cool due to a persistent breeze. The East is set to experience light rain, but temperatures should stay around the average for this time of year, according to the Met Office.
