New weather maps show 31 UK counties facing heavy rain this weekend, with downpours sweeping across Scotland, Wales, northern England and parts of Northern Ireland from Saturday morning. The wet spell follows a summer marked by repeated heatwaves.
Rain spreading across the UK from Saturday
According to the ECMWF weather model, widespread rain will move across the UK as early as 6am on Saturday, with Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland among the first areas affected. Several major cities including Manchester, Edinburgh and Cambridge are expected to see showers at different points, although much of this will initially be on the lighter side.
Almost all of Scotland will face downpours from Saturday morning, while lighter showers are expected around coastal parts of the north and east, including Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness. By 6pm, the wet weather is forecast to spread further, with parts of Scotland, Wales and northern England, including Cheshire and Lincolnshire, in the firing line.
Heaviest downpours and Sunday outlook
On Saturday morning, the heaviest downpours will be concentrated further north, particularly across parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Scotland will see rain broadly across the country, although some coastal areas in the north-east are shown with lighter rainfall rates of around 0.1mm to 0.4mm an hour. Parts of the Comrie area are expected to see slightly heavier rain of around 1.5mm an hour.
By Saturday evening, the focus will move south, with heavy rainfall spreading across parts of Wales, northern England and eastern England, weather maps show. The north-west of Wales is expected to see the highest rainfall rates, with up to 7.5mm an hour shown from around 6pm.
As Sunday gets under way, the wet weather looks set to continue to move across the country. During the early hours, heavier rain is shown across Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, while lighter rain affects areas including Liverpool and Manchester. Parts of Wales, particularly the north-west, are also expected to remain wet, while showers continue across parts of Scotland, including around Edinburgh and its outskirts. Areas in the south-west could also see lighter rain and showers, with coastal parts of Devon among the areas where rainfall may become slightly heavier.
Met Office warning and affected counties
The Met Office warned "wet and windy" conditions will sweep across the country as the weekend gets underway. Its forecast for Saturday to Monday reads: "Wet, and in places windy, weather will move southeastwards across the UK on Saturday, followed by sunshine and showers. Drier for most on Sunday, though further rain arriving on Monday."
The 31 UK counties facing heavy rain this weekend are: Bedfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Yorkshire, Shropshire, Argyllshire, Inverness-shire, West Lothian, East Lothian, Midlothian, Lanarkshire, Dunbarton, Clackmannanshire, Kinross-shire, Buteshire, Ayrshire, Wigtownshire, Dumfriesshire, Merioneth, Cardiganshire, Montgomeryshire, Brecknockshire, Pembrokeshire, Fermanagh and Antrim.
