The Met Office has issued warnings for heavy rain across four UK counties on Thursday, less than a week after the country experienced record June temperatures of 37.7C. The affected areas are Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and Gwynedd.
Timing and Intensity of the Rain
Outbreaks of rain, described as "heavy at times" by the Met Office, are expected to move in from Wednesday evening. Weather maps show rain affecting much of Wales, eastern and central Scotland, south-west England, large parts of northern England, and scattered areas of Northern Ireland. The heaviest downpours, indicated in yellow (4-8mm/h) and orange (8-16mm/h) bands, are predicted across north-west England, particularly in and around Lancashire, accompanied by strong winds. The rain is likely to ease by Thursday morning.
Thursday's Forecast
On Thursday, conditions will be mostly cloudy with patchy rain clearing during the day, leaving largely dry weather and some sunny spells. The north-east will remain windy, while temperatures will be cooler in the north-west and warmer in the south-east, according to the Met Office.
Outlook for the Weekend
From Friday to Sunday, cloud and rain are expected in northern England, while southern areas will see fine and dry conditions with gradually rising temperatures and strong sunshine.
Context of Recent Heatwave
This weather alert follows a historic heatwave that saw the UK break its June temperature record for three consecutive days. On Friday, June 26, a temperature of 37.7C was recorded in Lingwood, Norfolk, surpassing the previous record of 35.6C set on June 28, 1976, and June 29, 1957. Wales set a new June daily maximum of 35.9C at Bute Park, Cardiff, on June 25, and Northern Ireland equalled its warmest June day with 30.8C at Castlederg on June 25, matching the record from June 30, 1976.
Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page commented at the time: "This exceptional heat has been unprecedented for June and is another marker on how climate change is shifting the dial on temperature extremes in the UK."
