Britain’s scorching heatwave is expected to come to a halt, as heavy downpours are predicted for Saturday, according to the Met Office. Rainfall, particularly intense in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of Northwest England, will lead to increasingly unsettled conditions heading into the weekend. Up to 20mm of rain may fall in certain areas of Northern Ireland and western Scotland on Saturday, with the rain slowly advancing eastward across the UK. The Southeast of England is likely to remain dry until Sunday.
The Met Office warned of a shift towards more changeable conditions over the weekend. While some areas, especially in the east and southeast, may see a brighter start on Saturday, clouds and rain are expected to move from the west to the east. The northwest will experience the heaviest rainfall, while the southeast is projected to stay predominantly dry. Temperatures will be around average in the northwest but above average in the southeast.
This change marks the conclusion of the scorching heatwave that saw temperatures exceeding 35C. The highest temperature recorded on Wednesday was 31.8C in Whitechurch, Pembrokeshire, south Wales. Chief forecaster Chris Bulmer from the Met Office mentioned a gradual breakdown of the hot weather, with fresher conditions moving in through Friday and into the weekend as a weak cold front establishes itself across most of the UK.
As the heat dissipates, the weather is set to become more changeable, with possible showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures are expected to normalize over the weekend, accompanied by rainfall. Sunday is predicted to bring more rain and showers, particularly in northern and western regions, while some brighter intervals may appear in the east. The Met Office anticipates the unsettled weather pattern to persist into the following week, with temperatures returning to seasonal norms after a period of record-breaking heat.
