UK Weather: heavy rain and snow from Iceland expected to hit the United Kingdom by the end of the week

The United Kingdom might not have seen the end of winter weather just yet, we’re afraid.

Weather maps provided by WXMaps show that a low-pressure weather system, that originated off the south coast of Greenland and is set to move towards Iceland during the week, is scheduled to arrive in the United Kingdom by the end of this week (April 26 2024).

The system is forecast to make landfall in the north of England by the end of Saturday, April 27, with the heaviest precipitation expected on Sunday.

An initial burst of rain is expected around midday on Saturday, mainly affecting Northern Ireland, Wales, northwest England, and western Scotland. In some areas, rainfall rates could reach up to 1cm per hour.

By midday Sunday, the eye of the storm is expected to be between Northern Ireland and Scotland, bringing significant snowfall—over 4cm per hour in some parts of Scotland. Snow may also fall in Wales and northwest England on Sunday evening. The system is projected to move southwest and exit into the Atlantic Ocean by midday Monday, April 29.

The Met Office's long-range forecast confirms that low pressure will dominate from Thursday, April 25, to Saturday, May 4, with wetter and more unsettled conditions across the UK. While drier weather is expected at the start of the week, this will likely give way to rain, particularly in the south and east. All areas may experience some rainfall during this period.

Before the arrival of the low-pressure system, the UK will experience relatively settled weather with a cool breeze and light rain in the east - however, temperatures are expected to remain close to average for April.