The Met Office has identified eight areas that will experience heavy rain on Friday, even as much of Britain continues to bask in a heatwave with temperatures soaring into the mid-30s Celsius.
Heavy Rain Focused on Northwestern Scotland
While England, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to remain hot, dry and sunny, forecasters say northwestern Scotland will see a much wetter picture. The heaviest rain on Friday will be concentrated in the northwest, while many other parts of the UK remain dry and predominantly sunny.
Met Office spokesperson Nicky Maxey said: "While much of the UK will remain dry, warm and sunny through the next few days, there are some areas where rain is expected." She added: "Today and Friday, the main focus for any rainfall will be across northern and northwestern Scotland, where outbreaks of rain are expected at times and could become locally heavy."
Timing of the Rain
The rain is expected to move into northwestern Scotland during the early hours of Friday before becoming more widespread across parts of the Highlands and islands through the morning. By the afternoon, the band of rain is forecast to edge northeast towards Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Shetland, with some spells turning heavy.
In its UK forecast for Friday, the Met Office said: "Rain in the northwest may turn heavy for a time. The small chance of a shower developing elsewhere, but many once again staying dry and predominantly sunny. Another hot day."
Heatwave Continues for Most
Temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-30Cs across parts of England, with some areas potentially reaching 36C during the current spell of hot weather. Maxey noted that "most parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland are likely to stay dry with prolonged sunny spells."
A shift in the weather pattern is expected as high pressure moves, with winds turning more easterly. The added breeze and more cloud moving into North Sea coasts means these areas will gradually become cooler, while the warmest weather shifts further west.
Outlook for Next Week
Looking beyond Friday, the settled weather is expected to continue into next week, although isolated showers cannot be ruled out in some places. Maxey added: "Looking further ahead into next week, high pressure is expected to remain the dominant influence for much of the UK, maintaining largely settled conditions."
Full List of Areas Facing Heavy Rain on Friday
- Highlands
- Wester Ross
- Sutherland
- Skye and Lochalsh
- Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
- Argyll and Bute
- Orkney
- Shetland
