Will it rain today? Where thunderstorms hit the UK and the latest weather forecast map from the Met Office
Much of the country saw heavy rain and thunderstorms on Sunday, after a warm and dry weekend for many.
Southwest England and south Wales took the brunt of the storms, with Exeter Airport in Devon forced to close due to flash flooding. Almost a month’s worth of rain fell on Sunday at the Bird’s Hill rain gauge on the edge of Exmoor.
London, the south-east and east of England and the East Midlands were hit by heavy rain overnight, while the Cumbrian coast, the River Cole in Swindon, the River Goash in Rayhal and Newstead in Lincolnshire were among the areas to experience flooding.
The rain band moved east throughout the day Sunday and cleared by the early hours of Monday morning. The Met Office said conditions were expected to remain “blistery at times” early this week, but were likely to be more active.
What is the latest weather forecast?
Jonathan Vautrey, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said more storms were likely this week, as the remnants of Hurricane Lee, which struck New England in the US and eastern Canada, are set to move across the UK between Tuesday and Thursday. It will not become a hurricane by the time it reaches UK shores.
“That will be picked up by the jet stream.” He added that rain in some places could be heavy with the risk of further thunderstorms. “It could be a very unstable autumn week.”
Here’s the Met Office’s latest forecast:
Monday
Thunderstorms will develop in the east with a band of showers, already across the west, quickly pushing eastwards during the morning. It becomes more active with rain showers, sometimes heavy, in the afternoon. Increasingly windy.
Monday night
Some rain will continue, especially on the western coasts. A group of clouds and heavy rain will move in from the west during the evening. Danger of coastal storms in the west.
Tuesday
Clouds and rain spread quickly from the west during the morning, although it becomes drier after a spell of rain with some bright spells in southern parts of the UK. windy.
Wednesday to Friday
Unsettled and somewhat autumnal with variable conditions. Periods of rain, sometimes heavy, mixed with brighter spells and more frequent showers. The winds are often accompanied by coastal storms. Colder than of late.
What are the long-term prospects?
The Met Office expects the weather to be unsettled for many parts of Friday, with a mix of sunny spells and rain.
Some of this rain may be heavy, with thunderstorms possible. This rain will likely taper off from the west, resulting in a mainly dry start through the end of the week.
The Met Office adds: “Conditions are likely to become more disturbed later in the weekend and into the following week, as low pressure systems lie to the west or north-west of the UK.”
He added: “This will bring showers or rain to many areas, with some heavy falls at times, especially in the north and west. It will often be windy, with a small chance of a bout of very strong winds around the middle of the period. Temperatures are likely to remain close to normal.”
