The Met Office has identified 27 areas across the UK that are expected to see heavy rain on Tuesday, following a period of hot weather. Weather maps indicate that northern England, southwest England and Wales will be most affected, with Scotland and Northern Ireland also seeing significant rainfall.
Most changeable week since June
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: "I can’t promise rain for all of us through the week ahead, but in the south at least, it’s looking like the most changeable week we’ve seen here – well at least since the end of June."
Temperatures are expected to turn noticeably cooler, although a yellow heat health alert has been extended until 9am tomorrow across London, the South East and the South West.
Rainfall details
At half past midnight on Tuesday, weather maps show the heaviest rain mainly around Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. Central and eastern parts of Scotland are forecast 4-8mm of rainfall per hour, with the rain extending into northwest England where levels will peak at 2mm an hour.
North Wales and large swathes of Northern Ireland will also see sporadic showers. A north-south divide is expected, with London, most of southeast England, East Anglia, the Midlands, and most of southern and eastern England not forecast rain.
By 11.45pm on Tuesday, rain is expected to spread across Devon and Cornwall, particularly around Plymouth, with 0.5 to 1mm of rain an hour. The rain will have largely disappeared over Scotland and northern England, moving to cover south and central Wales, where rainfall is expected to peak at 2mm per hour.
Met Office forecast and affected areas
The Met Office forecast for Tuesday reads: "A wet start across many northern and central areas of the country, with rain moving erratically southwards during the day. Turning brighter but fresher from the north."
The 27 areas forecast rain on Tuesday include: in Scotland, Stornoway, Skye, Fort William, Aberdeen, Oban, Inverness, Perth, Stirling and Glasgow; in Northern Ireland, Belfast and Derry; in England, Carlisle, Lancaster, Preston, Blackpool, Manchester, Liverpool, Wigan, Bolton, Plymouth, Exeter and Truro; and in Wales, Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Powys.
