Heavy Thundery Rain Sweeping Northeast

The synoptic charts for today look rather autumnal at first glance, with a deepening depression moving north close to the SW of Ireland today, with a band of heavy rain along a cold front sweeping northeast across the British Isles, accompanied by strong to gale force winds in the southwest. However, rather warm and humid air is being pulled north across much of the country ahead of the deep low to the west, so despite the cloud and rain, it will feel muggy out there today. And with any sunny spells across central and northern areas before the rain arrives later, it will feel pleasantly warm in the sunshine.

Heavy rain is already sweeping in across south Wales and SW England and will move fairly quickly northeast reaching northern England and Northern Ireland this afternoon. There could be some locally torrential downpours, with a risk of hail, thunder and squally winds mixed in. Netweather have issued a detailed Storm Forecast for today.

Much of Scotland will probably manage to stay dry with sunny spells through much of the day, the rain will probably arrive across the southwest by early evening spreading into the central belt for the rush hour. It will also turn drier across the southwest this afternoon, though a few showers may arrive later.

Heavy rain will spread north across Scotland during the evening and overnight, clearing the northeast in the early hours. Mainly dry elsewhere and muggy with temperatures no lower than 17-18c in the south. Showers will affect SW England, Wales and Northern Ireland though and remaining windy in the west too. Then on into Thursday, another warm and muggy but breezy day with sunny spells and showers in the west, which could turn heavy and thundery. More general rain looks to move in across the southwest later in the day.

Rain will then spread north across most areas on Friday, though Scotland perhaps staying dry and sunny for much of the day. Turning brighter and even warmer from the south over the weekend, heavy and thundery showers will affect northern and western areas, southern and eastern England will stay mostly dry. Turning hot on Sunday across the southeast, with temperatures perhaps reaching 30C.


Published on 15th August 2012 10:48 Updated: 15th August 2012 10:48