The north west is among areas expecting heavy rainfall this weekend, as recent hot weather gives way to a washout. Heavy rain is due on Saturday (July 25) and Sunday (July 26), the Met Office has said, likely covering most parts of the country.
Rain moving southwards
A band of rain is expected to hit Scotland’s north west coast in the early hours of Saturday and move slowly southwards as the weekend progresses, reports the Express.
"Plenty of very warm sunshine on Friday, though some rain in the far northwest," the Met Office forecast for the weekend said on Thursday (July 23). "Turning cooler over the weekend with some rain moving southeast across the UK. Breezy at times."
No weather warnings are in place, but any plans for barbecues might have to change as the deluge will hit millions.
Regions affected
The forecasts confirm eight regions are expected to see heavy rainfall this weekend. They are: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, North west England, South west England, North east England, Yorkshire and the Humber, Midlands, and East Anglia and central England.
While London and the south east will be spared heavy downpours, scattered showers are expected to hit the capital and surrounding counties.
Timing of rain
Rain will start moving south east from Northern Ireland and Scotland at 7am on Saturday. By 10am, the most northerly parts of England will see some rain. In the early afternoon, the north west and north Wales will start to feel damp, as will Yorkshire later in the afternoon.
England and Wales will largely have a dry Saturday night, but Northern Ireland and Scotland will see precipitation with a new band of rain. That band will move quickly in the early hours of Sunday.
Moving from Scotland, swathes of Wales, north west England, Yorkshire, and the Midlands will wake up to rain at 7am on Sunday. The same areas will still be wet as rain hits the south west at 10am.
The rain will be at its worst at around 1pm on Sunday, when most of the country is covered with clouds.
Showers will have stopped for most by 10pm, but that is when the heaviest downpours hit the UK this weekend, with 16-32mm of rain forecast to hit East Yorkshire near Hull.
Temperatures will remain relatively cool for the season, with highs of 23C on Saturday and 20C on Sunday.
