Weather maps suggest parts of the UK will be hit by heavy rainfall on Thursday, with 18 areas potentially seeing between 4 and over 32mm of rain per hour.
Met Office rain maps for Thursday have turned red and yellow in a number of areas, signalling an increased risk of unsettled weather. Forecast maps generated today by the forecaster indicate that, on the day, areas including Manchester, Leeds and London could receive more than 32mm of rain per hour as the wet and unstable conditions take hold.
Slow-moving rain could affect same locations
The Met Office says a band of heavy, potentially thundery rain will move slowly northwards across England and Wales on Thursday. Sharing the forecast for the week, it said: “Some of this rain could become slow-moving or repeatedly affect the same locations, which could lead to more substantial rainfall totals.”
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway said: “While many areas will see dry and increasingly warm conditions at the start of the week, attention is turning to the potential for heavy rain and thunderstorms from Wednesday onwards.
“As warmer and more humid air moves north across the UK, there is an increasing likelihood of some heavy rain developing. Some places could see 20 to 30mm of rain in just a few hours, while there is also the potential for higher totals where thunderstorms repeatedly affect the same locations.”
Full list of 18 areas at risk
The detail of which areas will see the heaviest rainfall is still uncertain, so stay up to date with the forecast this week to keep updated on the increasing risk of impactful weather during the latter part of the week.
The rainy weather will continue until Thursday night, the maps show. The areas facing heavy rain (between 4 and over 32mm/h) on Thursday are: West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Leeds, Manchester, London, Birmingham, Peterborough, Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Southampton, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Preston, Sheffield, and Stoke on Trent.
