The Met Office has forecast heavy rain for 34 areas across the UK on Monday, with three flood alerts in place as unsettled Atlantic weather returns. The downpours will be especially heavy in northern England and most of Scotland, dashing hopes of a sixth heatwave, though temperatures could still reach 25C in London before the weekend.
Heavy rain hits Scotland and northern England
Weather maps show rain set to hit almost all of Scotland as well as parts of northern England, with every county in those areas expected to see wet conditions. The heaviest rain is forecast in the far north of Scotland near Stornoway, while in England, striking orange flashes on the maps indicate the Lake District will see the heaviest downpour.
Three flood alerts are now in place: over the Tidal River Avon, on the Somerset coast at Porlock Weir, and the tidal River Waveney, with high tides expected.
Warmth continues despite rain
Despite the battering, most areas will see sunshine in the days ahead before the unsettled Atlantic weather returns. Five sweltering periods between May and August left much of the country in drought, sparking wildfires, hosepipe bans and travel disruption, and another heatwave had not been ruled out in September.
The Met Office's forecast for Monday states: "Warm and humid in the south with cloudy skies, although some brighter spells are possible. A dry start in the north, before heavy rain moves into Northern Ireland and Scotland."
Temperatures could reach 25C in London, 22C in Manchester and Cardiff, and 20C in parts of Scotland, according to the forecast.
Heatwave criteria not met
BBC weather forecaster Ben Rich says conditions are about to get warmer but doubts the high temperatures will stick around. He said: "While things will undoubtedly feel warm, it will remain below the criteria for a heatwave. This would require three consecutive days of temperatures above a threshold which varies from 25C in Scotland and Northern Ireland to 28C in the London area."
The cool conditions have been a welcome reprieve for many, with some much-needed rain falling across the UK this week and more to follow next week, but there may be one final blast of summery weather to come.
Areas facing heavy rain
England: Cumbria, Lancashire
Scotland: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian, Western Isles.
