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UK weather forecast: Heavy rain and wind to batter Britain as lockdown restrictions ease further over weekend

A woman runs to take shelter from a heavy downpour of rain on London Bridge, in central London: PA
A woman runs to take shelter from a heavy downpour of rain on London Bridge, in central London: PA

As the most significant easing of lockdown restrictions start this weekend in England, forecasters are expecting about a month’s worth of rain to fall over the weekend, which may threaten the plans of thousands of excited pub-goers.

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued by the Met Office for parts of Scotland and western England and flooding in a few homes and businesses is likely. The warning is in place until 3am on Saturday.

Conditions in the southeast paint a difference picture, as most parts will be dry with some sunny spells on Friday, but it will get increasingly cloudy as the day wears on.

The rain affecting northern and western parts of the country will move towards the southeast and winds will pick up. Tonight will see conditions become drier for a time over much of Scotland.

Temperatures will stay cool, reaching a maximum of 21C in London on Friday and staying between 20C to 22C over the weekend.

Unsettled weather conditions are expected to affect the entire weekend. In the south, it will be mostly cloudy with spells of rain and drizzle, although it will be dry with a few bright spells for many, especially in the east.

The rain is expected to be more persistent in the north and west of the country.

Strong wind will create more blustery conditions on Sunday, and more rain is expected. However, the start of next week is expected to be much more settled, with temperatures starting to increase again to a potential 24C.

From Saturday, pubs, beer gardens and restaurants are allowed to reopen as long as they adhere to social distancing rules. Businesses have dubbed the day ‘Super Saturday’ and according to a survey by Opinion Matters, around eight million people said they are planning to visit their local pub when it reopens this weekend.

Additional reporting by PA