The United Kingdom is preparing for a dramatic shift in weather as the Met Office warns of 21 hours of persistent rain across 23 counties. The record-breaking heatwave, which saw temperatures soar to 35.1C at Kew Gardens in London on Tuesday, is expected to give way to torrential downpours starting Monday, June 1, at 1pm and lasting until 10am the following day.
Heavy Rain Forecast
Weather maps from the Met Office indicate heavy rainfall affecting large parts of the UK, including London, Kent, Cornwall, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, and Scotland. Some regions could receive up to 8mm of rain during this period. Chief Forecaster Chris Bulmer explained, 'We're now starting to see this spell of very hot weather break down.'
Transition to Cooler Weather
The Met Office stated that 'the widespread heatwave will gradually reduce in intensity in the coming days,' with a transition to more unsettled and cooler conditions. While parts of the southeast may still reach 32C on Thursday, fresher air will move in from Friday, bringing showers and possible thunderstorms. By the weekend, temperatures are expected to be closer to the seasonal average.
Affected Counties
The following 23 counties are on alert for heavy downpours from 1pm on June 1: Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Greater Manchester, Dorset, Bristol, Bath, York, North Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Greater London, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Lancashire, Kent, Dumfries and Galloway, Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands, and Perth and Kinross.
The Met Office advises residents to prepare for unsettled weather into next week, with periods of rain or showers interspersed with brighter spells. Temperatures will be much closer to average than in recent days.
