The Met Office has placed 18 areas across the UK on alert for heavy downpours as a 250-mile band of rain is set to sweep the country. Following days of wet and chilly conditions, forecasters warn of more unsettled weather before scorching temperatures arrive later.
Heavy Rain Expected Midweek
Low pressure fronts moving in from the Atlantic will bring unsettled conditions and rain by Tuesday. BBC weather forecaster Jennifer Bartram explained: "As we look from Monday into Tuesday, wind is dying down all the time but the next cluster of weather fronts are going to be moving in. This one in particular developing a bit of a wave will bring a heavier spell of rain for a time."
She added: "Tuesday morning some showers and brisk winds across parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland too, but it is after we get into the afternoon that this lump of rain moves in across parts of southwest England, Wales and the Midlands. South of that, we might get to 24C where we hang onto the sunshine, always cooler a little bit further north."
Rainfall Intensity
A Met Office map indicates the heaviest rain will fall on Tuesday afternoon and evening, mainly affecting the Midlands, southwest England, parts of Wales, and Scotland. Up to 8mm could fall in an hour before 7pm in some areas, while northern Scotland may see rates of up to 32mm per hour over the same period.
In its forecast for Monday, the Met Office states: "Staying dry with sunny spells. Showers track east across southern areas, possibly thundery. Cloud thickens in the west and north with evening rain. Winds light to moderate, temperatures near average."
For Tuesday to Thursday, the outlook is: "Cloudy in the west and north with rain at times, heavy in places. Brighter spells developing. Blustery showers later, especially north. Generally warm in the southeast, near average elsewhere."
Areas on Alert for Tuesday
- Birmingham
- Warwickshire
- Leicestershire
- Staffordshire
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- Powys
- Denbighshire
- Gwynedd
- Ceredigion
- Conwy
- Swansea
- North Port Talbot
- Highlands
- Perth and Kinross
- Angus
- Aberdeenshire
- Stirling
The heavy rain is expected to cause travel disruptions and localised flooding in some areas. However, hotter weather is anticipated later in the week as conditions improve.
