UK braces for torrential downpours and thunderstorms as Met Office forecasts drastic weather shift

James Rodger & Alex Driscoll

15 June 2024 at 3:07 am·2-min read

The Met Office says heavy rain and gusty winds will lash the UK, with gales and up to 50mph wind gusts expected in the South West — -Credit: (Image: PA)

The Met Office has issued a stark warning of a significant shift in weather patterns, indicating a turn for the worse. A recent weather map from the Met Office reveals an incoming spell of frequent showers and a sharp drop in temperatures across the country.

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGovern commented on the looming weather changes: "A change in the weather patterns is on the way but I suspect it will be a change which won't be widely popular. For more than a week we've had northerly winds dominating things and brought below average temperatures and frequent showers in a few spots."

He further explained the cause of the impending downpours: "To the west of the Atlantic there's a branch of a jet stream which over the next 24 hours is going to pick up an area of low pressure and send it towards the UK. It will culminate in a cold front warm front combo bringing persistent rain for a time."

Detailing the forecast for Friday, McGovern said: "On Friday we have that low pressure in place over the top of the UK, the jet stream once again to the south of the UK. That means we have an upper level low and a surface area of low pressure coincident with each other . The surface low, the upper low and a strong sun at this time of year, all the ingredients there for rapidly rising air currents, beefy shower clouds and torrential downpours - even some thunderstorms on Friday."

"A lot of showers to come after the band of rain on Thursday. We're going to see frequent showers across the UK. Temperatures are rising, particularly in the east, with a lot of cloud. One other thing that is going to change over the next few days, as well as increasingly heavy downpours, are the temperatures," reports Birmingham Live.

In addition, he stated: "Some parts of the east of England are more than 6C higher than Wednesday."

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