The Met Office has forecast thunderstorms and heavy downpours across the UK, marking a significant shift from the recent heatwave that saw record-breaking temperatures earlier this week. On Tuesday, temperatures reached 35.1C in Kew Gardens, west London, and 32.9C in Cardiff's Bute Park.
Senior operational meteorologist Rebecca Mitchell said: 'Going into next week, there is a big change on the way. We’ve got spells of rain, possible thunderstorms, and some strengthening winds through much of the week.' Temperatures are expected to drop to around average for the time of year, which is 17-19C in the north and 18-21C in the south, about 14 degrees lower than the previous week.
On Monday, heavy rain is expected across the country, particularly in parts of Wales. Mitchell noted that the rain may be welcome for gardeners and farmers after the dry spell. Tuesday could bring heavy showers and potential thunderstorms, mainly affecting central and southern areas, including Northern Ireland, northern England, southern England, and Wales.
The cooler conditions follow a heatwave during which at least 14 people died after getting into difficulties in bodies of water. In Mexborough, South Yorkshire, an 11-year-old boy entered the River Don on Saturday evening and has not been found despite a multi-agency search. Police Constable Simon Bennett said: 'As we have now lost daylight, the search has become more challenging... we aren’t giving up.'
Meanwhile, thousands of customers in Kent experienced disruptions to their drinking water supply over the weekend due to issues exacerbated by the hot weather. South East Water reported that supplies have been restored for most customers, but around 4,058 may still face low pressure or intermittent supply in areas including Whitstable, Coxheath, and Loose.
