UK weather forecast: Brits braced for thunderstorms and heavy rain after sunniest month on record

Temperatures have dropped after the UK saw its sunniest month on record in May
Thunderstorms are expected to return to parts of the UK later this week, according to the Met Office
AP

The UK is set to be battered by thunderstorms and heavy rain this week, but warmer temperatures are expected to return by the weekend.

After a month of sunshine, weather warnings may be put in place on Thursday, the Met Office warned, as Brits prepare for heavy, thundery rain.

A Met Office spokesman told the Standard a low pressure system making its way across the Atlantic will bring heavy rain and strong winds.

Forecaster Simon Partridge said: “There is a low pressure system making its way across the Atlantic. It crosses above Iceland and then lands straight on us. It will be bringing the rain and the wind.

“It will be mostly dry tomorrow. The chilly winds of the weekend have gone, and we could see temperatures of 20 or 21 degrees across southern England and Wales.

“It gets a bit more interesting from there on in. On Wednesday the rain will come in and pushes in across mainly northern England, Wales and Scotland. We will see heavy downpours and the odd roll of thunder possible.

“On Thursday southern England and Wales will see heavy thundery rain. We are keeping an eye on this one as it may need a thunderstorm warning or a heavy rain warning. There is certainly potential for this.

“We could still see heavy thundery rain in southwest England on Friday, but things will be getting calmer elsewhere.”

However, the expert meteorologist offered some good news as the UK heads into the weekend.

“We will continue to see temperatures starting to build in the south,” he said. “Southern parts of the UK will start to be back to the low to mid twenties. Still some rain unfortunately, but not as bad as Wednesday and Thursday.

“Even Scotland will see 20 or 21C…but it will still be humid air, so it will be just warm and muggy and not the return to the sun of the other week.”

The nation has enjoyed the sunniest spring since records began in 1929, with sun-worshippers enjoying temperatures peaking at 29C.

He explained that the stunning month of sunshine Britain experienced last month was “all to do with the jet stream” as it was “just buckled in exactly the right way in May”.

Meteogroup is also predicting thunderstorms across Wales on Thursday while the rest of the UK will see wet and windy skies.

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