Met Office weather map shows heavy snow to hit north west this week

Heavy snow could hit parts of the North West this week, according to the latest weather maps.

The Met Office precipitation maps show heavy hail and snow hitting Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria on Friday evening.

It comes as a series of weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office advising of heavy rain and winds gusting to 80mph in the days ahead. A yellow warning is in place for north-west Scotland advising of high winds from 4pm on Wednesday to 9am on Thursday before this spreads to Northern Ireland and across northern England from Thursday afternoon into Friday morning.

READ MORE: Met Office issues heavy rain and 80mph wind warnings across UK - full list of areas affected

The Met Office has then put in place a warning for all of England, Wales, Northern Ireland for heavy rain and wind from 3pm on Friday until 6am on Sunday. People are being advised of a “danger to life” from flying debris as well as from large waves at the coast.

The Met Office warning states: "A deep low may cross England and Wales from Friday afternoon, clearing to the east Saturday night. The low may bring a period of strong winds to much of the warning area, with some heavy rain likely to the north and west of the low centre, and some hill snow in the north (above about 200 metres)."

It adds: "Around 15-25mm of rain may fall quite widely, more particularly across central, northern and western parts of England and Wales, with exposed higher ground in the north and west (particularly parts of Wales, which are at greatest risk of seeing flooding impacts) perhaps locally seeing closer to 50-70mm. Winds may quite widely gust to around 40-50mph inland but locally could gust in excess of 60mph, whilst around coasts, winds may gust to 60-70mph, perhaps locally nearer 80mph."

Weather maps show heavy hail across the north from 6pm on Friday evening. From 9pm, parts of the north west will be hit by heavy snow.

Conditions will continue to be unsettled overnight into Saturday morning, with a wet weekend expected.