Weather WARNING: UK to be hit by FURIOUS storm on Monday that will UNLEASH Easter SNOW

Britons are warned to make the most of the calm and relatively mild weather before all hell breaks loose after the weekend.

A deep low-pressure system will sweep Britain on Monday whipping up gale-force winds and dumping more than an inch of rain in parts.

The storm, which the Met Office said is unlikely to be named, will move eastwards into the North Sea on Tuesday.

Strong winds associated with the low-pressure system will set up an easterly flow pulling cold air originating from Eastern Europe and Siberia into Britain.

Met Office meteorologist Martin Bowles said temperatures will drop around five degrees below average for the time of year from next Wednesday.

Cold weather will grip Britain through the Easter period as the mercury drops widely below freezing bringing snow to parts, he added.

He said: “On Monday night we have quite a vigorous low-pressure system with associated weather fronts coming in from the west.

“This moves to the southeast before ending up in the North Sea by Wednesday, it will be then that we see the colder easterly airflow develop as winds circulate anticlockwise around this system.

“It will draw colder air in from the northeast which will initially affect Scotland before becoming more widespread.

“The start of the week will be milder as this system moves in, but there will be some strong winds and gales as it comes through particularly in coastal regions and across high ground.

“We are not expecting a named storm, however there will be some heavy rainfall and we could see between 20 to 30mm [1.1 ins] fall in places.”

The mercury will hover in low double figures across southern Britain over the next couple of days although Scotland and the north will stay slightly cooler.

Temperatures will nosedive towards the middle of the week bringing overnight lows of -4C (24.8F) to northern Britain as most of the country sinks below freezing, Mr Bowles added.

He said: “We are now fairly confident that we are going into a period of colder than average weather with temperatures around 5C below where they should be for the time year.

“We should be looking at around 11C (51.8F) as a maximum daytime temperature but we are are likely to see maximums of around 5C (41F) or 6C (42.8F).

“We expect temperatures to fall below freezing in most places overnight with minimums of -3C (26.6F) to -4C (24.8F) in some places.”

While most weather models agree Britain is wrapping up for another bitterly cold spell, the jury is still out on how much snow will fall at Easter.

The Met Office said Scotland and the north are most at risk from wintry showers although other forecasting bodies warn they could be more widespread.

Experts agree Britain will be plunged into a lengthy cold spell with below-average temperatures likely to hold out through the start of April.

WeatherAction forecaster Piers Corbyn said: “Another cold blast originating from the east and the northeast will bring a spell of very cold weather to the UK over Easter.

“Northern Britain as at risk from the heaviest snowfall all although the whole country will be affected by the blast.

“Temperatures could drop to similar values to what we saw earlier this month with lows of -8C (17.6F) possible in parts of the country.

“The cold weather is likely to hold out into he start of next month and there is a strong possibility of further cold blasts through April.”

AccuWeather forecaster Kristina Pydynowski said next week’s storm threatens to shake up Easter weekend plans.

People heading out and about over the bank holiday should expect some delays and disruption to travel, she added.

She said: “A depression may cause the holiday to start on a stormy note with a turn to fewer showers for Easter Sunday and Monday’s bank holiday.

“As the drier air filters in, so will fresh cooler air.

“The depression may not be potent enough to cause severe travel disruptions, but there can be slower travel due to rainy spells and a gusty breeze.

“The system also threatens to put a damper on holiday activities early in the weekend.”

Fellow AccuWeather forecaster Tyler Roys said unsettled weather could hinder outdoor Easter plans.

He said: “At this moment, it doesn’t look good for outdoor Easter egg hunts, church services and other holiday festivities on Friday or Saturday.

“The departure of the depression should lead to a drying trend for Easter Sunday and Monday.

“A few showers may still be around, but the wet weather is expected to be less frequent than earlier in the weekend.

“However, [people] may not be able to leave spring jackets in the closet with their brollies.”

Weather charts show next week’s storm system whipping up winds of around 60mph along the west coast of Scotland on Tuesday night.

Much of the UK will be wet and windy for a time although coastal regions and exposed communities will bear the brunt of the weather.

Weather Channel forecaster Amy Hodgson said: “The jet stream will dive southwards over western Europe, introducing cold polar air over northern and central parts of the near continent.

“The most intense cold will take place on Thursday and Good Friday as winds veer north-easterly.

“Maximum temperatures could dip as low as 4C (39.2F) to 6C (42.8F) across the UK and overnight minimums could touch freezing.”