Britain's record-breaking May heatwave has come to an abrupt end, with heavy rain set to lash the country over the next two days. The Met Office confirmed that Saturday marked the end of the sweltering weather, as scattered showers and lower temperatures gave way to a more changeable outlook.
Forecast maps show a blanket of heavy rain stretching across the UK, with some areas expected to receive between 2mm and 16mm of rain per hour. Northern and western regions will be hit first on Monday morning, with the rain moving eastward before easing on Tuesday. Scotland is bracing for particularly heavy downpours on Tuesday, with up to 16mm per hour expected in the afternoon.
Met Office chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said: “Temperatures should be much closer to average for the time of year with accompanying rainfall for many through the weekend and into the start of next week.” Meteorologist Kathryn Chalk added that the rain could be welcome for farmers and gardeners, noting that as low pressure arrives from the west, “outbreaks of rain” will spread across the country.
The wet weather follows a record-breaking heatwave that saw temperatures soar to 35.1°C in Kew Gardens on Tuesday, breaking the previous May record of 34.8°C set the day before. The mercury is now expected to drop to the late teens and early twenties, a stark contrast to the recent highs.
Further unsettled conditions are predicted throughout the week, with spells of rain, showers, thunderstorms, and a chance of hail. By Thursday, patchier showers are expected, mainly in northern and eastern areas. Temperatures will remain close to average for June, or even slightly below.
