New weather data from WXCharts.com shows large parts of the UK will be hit by rain and thunderstorms on Thursday, with the heaviest conditions in northern England, north Wales and the Midlands.
Heavy Rain Expected on Thursday
The maps show intense yellow, orange and red rainfall cells embedded inside a much broader area of wet weather. Parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire and the Midlands could be hit by particularly sharp bursts, while showers also pepper Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
The picture remains thoroughly unsettled into the afternoon, with powerful downpours capable of dumping a lot of rain in a short space of time. Some areas may dodge the worst and stay largely dry between showers, but others could be soaked as individual cells pass overhead.
Cooler and More Changeable Conditions
By 4pm the heaviest rain remains focused across northern and central England, while scattered showers continue from the Highlands down to the South East. The UK recently experienced its fifth heatwave of the summer with the hottest day of the year recorded in Kew Gardens, London, on Thursday when temperatures reached 38.1C.
A Met Office meteorologist said that the south of the UK will experience “changeable” conditions with temperatures turning “cooler” and thunderstorms becoming a distinct possibility. In a Sunday update, 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.”
Jet Stream Shift Brings Low Pressure
A jet stream which has been far in the north of the UK has allowed high pressure to dominate, causing the recent excessively hot conditions, Mr Morgan said. Mr Morgan said it would travel south, meaning that low pressure will dominate, adding: “So a much more changeable and at times unsettled outlook through the middle part of the week – low pressure will dominate and slowly drift its way southwards.”
He said it would start to turn “cooler” as wind switches to a northerly direction, adding: “So as well as some rain, showers, and even thunderstorms in places, it will certainly feel considerably fresher than recent weeks in the south.”
A Met Office forecast for Thursday to Saturday said: “A northerly wind develops for the next few days, allowing temperatures to drop below average. Thunder showers for Thursday and Friday, but brighter and drier for Saturday.”
