Britain is bracing for a dramatic end to its record-breaking heatwave as heavy rain is expected to sweep across the country over a 21-hour period. The Met Office’s weather maps indicate widespread downpours covering a large part of the UK, with 23 counties poised to experience rainfall at some point during the spell.
Areas such as London, Kent, Cornwall, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, and Scotland are among those predicted to receive up to 8mm of rain starting from Monday, June 1 at 1pm, with some regions likely to face continuous downpours until 10am the following day. This shift in weather patterns follows the UK’s hottest ever May day on record, where temperatures soared to 35.1C at Kew Gardens in London.
Forecasts suggest that the scorching conditions will gradually give way to a more unsettled scenario as bands of rain and showers move in early next week. The Met Office has highlighted the potential for scattered showers and a few thunderstorms as the weather pattern transitions.
Chief Forecaster Chris Bulmer explained, “We’re now starting to see this spell of very hot weather break down. While parts of the southeast could still reach highs of 32C on Thursday, many areas will begin to experience fresher conditions moving in through Friday and into the weekend as a weak cold front advances southeastward across most of the UK by Saturday.”
As temperatures ease, the weather is expected to become more changeable, with showers and thunderstorms becoming possible. By the weekend, temperatures should return closer to average for this time of year, accompanied by rainfall for many areas through the weekend and into the beginning of next week.
Looking ahead, the Met Office anticipates further spells of rain or showers moving across the UK from Monday, interspersed with brighter intervals. Temperatures are forecasted to revert closer to the average after a period of recent highs.
