The Met Office has warned that Britain's blistering heatwave is set to end, with intense downpours forecast for Saturday. Heavy rain is expected, especially across Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of the Northwest of England. Conditions will become progressively unsettled moving into the weekend, as Friday will be cloudy across most of the country.
Rainfall Predictions
Up to 20mm of rain could fall in places across Northern Ireland and western Scotland on Saturday. The band of rain will slowly move eastwards across the UK, but most of the Southeast of England should dodge the drizzle until Sunday at the earliest.
The Met Office cautioned: "Into the weekend, conditions are expected to turn more changeable. After a brighter start for some on Saturday, especially in the east and southeast, cloud and outbreaks of rain are likely to spread from the west and move gradually eastwards. Rain will be heaviest in the northwest, while the southeast is expected to stay largely dry. Temperatures will be near average in the northwest, but will remain above average in the southeast."
End of the Heatwave
This change marks the end of the sweltering heatwave, during which temperatures exceeded 35C. The hottest place on Wednesday was Whitechurch in Pembrokeshire, south Wales, where the mercury reached 31.8C.
Chris Bulmer, chief forecaster with the Met Office, said: "We're now starting to see this spell of very hot weather break down. While parts of the southeast could still reach highs of 32C on Thursday, many areas will begin to feel fresher conditions moving in through Friday and into the weekend as a weak cold front moves southeast and becomes more established across most of the UK by Saturday."
"As the heat starts to ease, the weather will also turn more changeable, with some showers and thunderstorms possible. By the weekend, 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."
Sunday and Beyond
Sunday is likewise anticipated to bring further bouts of rain and showers, especially across northern and western parts of the country, though brighter intervals could emerge further east. The Met Office noted that the more unsettled weather pattern is set to persist into next week, with temperatures edging back towards seasonal norms following a spell of record-breaking heat.
Areas Facing Heaviest Rain on Saturday
- Dumfries and Galloway
- East Ayrshire
- South Ayrshire
- Most of Northern Ireland
- Cumbria
- Lancashire
- Greater Manchester
- Merseyside
- Cheshire
The Met Office advises residents in these areas to prepare for potential disruption from heavy rain and possible thunderstorms over the weekend.
