'Icelandic storm' warning for UK as maps show exact date it will hit

Brits are being told to brace for an Icelandic storm that could bring snow to parts of the UK next week. 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. This 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. An initial burst of rain is predicted from about midday on the 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 forecast to fall every hour.

Read more The 1% Club airs 'hardest question ever' as everyone in the studio is stumped

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 forecast in the middle of Scotland, reports the Mirror.

In the evening, snow could also appear in the middle of Wales, as well as the northwest of England, according to WXCharts. The storm is expected to pass beyond the southwest of England and into the Atlantic Ocean by midday on Monday April 29.

The Met Office has released a long-range weather forecast indicating that low pressure is set to take over from Thursday, April 25 to Saturday, May 4, with the UK expected to see a shift from the drier conditions at the start of next week to more unsettled weather. Their forecast explained: "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."

Despite the impending change to wetter conditions, the UK is set to enjoy relatively settled weather for a brief period, although a cool breeze might persist. The East can expect light rain, but temperatures should remain around the average for April.