The UK will experience a stark contrast in weather conditions this week, with southern England facing heavy rainfall and western Scotland potentially seeing a heatwave.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain in southern regions, effective from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday. The areas affected include southeast England, parts of Wales, and as far west as Taunton in Somerset. Cities like Peterborough, Norwich, and Birmingham are also in the warning zone.
Southern England can expect thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds, and possible hail. Rainfall may exceed 50mm in some places within two hours, causing potential flooding and disruptions to travel. Buildings, roads, and public transport systems could be impacted by these sudden downpours.
Western Scotland enjoys warm, settled weather with possible heatwave conditions looming.Meanwhile, western Scotland is forecast to have more settled conditions, with temperatures possibly reaching 26°C on Friday and Saturday.
Met Office spokesperson Oli Claydon highlighted a north-south divide in the weather, with the potential for western Scotland to meet heatwave criteria. A heatwave in Scotland requires three consecutive days of temperatures at or above 25°C.
Despite warmer daytime temperatures, cooler nights are expected, especially in rural areas, where temperatures could drop to as low as 7°C on Friday night.
In contrast, southeast England might see temperatures peak at 27°C by the end of the week, although this will likely be accompanied by rain and cloudy skies.
Temperatures remain close to the seasonal average, though the split weather patterns could bring significant variation across the country.