The Met Office has revealed that the North East will see rain on Monday August 17, bringing a break from the prolonged dry weather that has affected the region.
Forecast for Monday
According to the Met Office's website, Monday will see light rain through much of the afternoon, with heavy rain expected as the night progresses. Tuesday will bring some morning showers before the dry weather returns.
The forecast for the North East states that through the end of the weekend into the start of next week, conditions will be "largely dry with bright or sunny spells" and "mainly light winds". However, it also warns of "some patchy rain or showers" with temperatures nearer average next week.
Regional impact
The band of rain does not reach the far South, where the worst of the drought conditions have been reported, meaning relief for some but not all. The brief rain will be good news for farmers and gardeners after a particularly dry summer.
England has received just 4mm of rain so far in August, or 6% of the long-term average for the month, the Environment Agency said. This follows the driest July on record for the country, with just 7mm of rain last month, which is 10% of the average rainfall for the month.
Drought status and economic impact
This month, the North East has experienced a period of 'prolonged dry weather', narrowly avoiding drought conditions. The East Midlands, Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire, Kent & East Sussex, and Solent & the South Downs became the latest to move into drought status, with almost three-quarters of England now in drought.
Estimates published by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) suggested that as much as £390 million in revenue could be lost by farmers, reducing the overall potential yield by approximately 2.5 million tonnes.
Hour-by-hour forecast for Newcastle
The Met Office's hour-by-hour forecast for Newcastle on Monday, August 17, 2026, shows rain developing from mid-afternoon, with light rain from 4pm and heavy rain by 11pm. Temperatures will peak at 20°C at 2pm, with the chance of rain rising from 50% at 2pm to 70% by 5pm.
