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UK weather forecast: Country set for more showers before temperatures surge for bank holiday weekend

Mercury could rise to 29C by Saturday, but more showers to afflict Brits before then

Alessio Perrone
Monday 19 August 2019 14:53 BST
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(PA Images)

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More showers and changeable weather are set to grip the UK this week before temperatures rise just in time for the bank holiday weekend.

The unsettled weather and low temperatures that have seized much of the country last week should continue in the next few days, according to the Met Office – but at least the southern part of Britain is in for a spell of strong sunshine and warm weather toward the weekend.

“We have a generally showery picture for the start of the week, although the downpours won’t be as heavy as the ones of the last week,” said Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey.

“As we go through the week we could see some heavy rain in the northwest, but it will become drier and warmer in the southern half of the country towards the bank holiday weekend.”

Monday will be breezy with scattered showers in England, with a higher risk of heavy and possibly thundery showers in the south and the southeast, while most of Scotland and Northeast England should manage to stay dry.

But on Tuesday, outbreaks of rain are forecast for Northern Ireland and the western parts of England and Scotland, while the rest of the country will see a mix of sunny spells and showers.

“There is heavy rain expected in the northwest in the next few days combined with strong winds,” said Ms Maxey.

Wednesday will bring more showery conditions and temperatures still in the low 20s, but the weather will gradually become warmer and drier as a north-south divide develops.

The mercury will rise to about 25C or 26C in the southern half of the UK by the end of the week, which is markedly above August averages, but northern England and Scotland are unlikely to see more than 20C.

The average temperature for August is 19C throughout the UK, 19C in Wales and 21C in England.

“There is some uncertainty about whether we hang on to the high pressure long enough,” said Ms Maxey.

“But if we do, isolated places with ideal conditions in the southeast might see 28C or 29C during the bank holiday weekend.”

She said it’s too early to understand how far north the warm weather will push, leaving conditions in Wales uncertain.

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