The relentless high pressure – which led to a 27.8C high on Saturday in Surrey – could come to an end within the next few days with spells of heavy rain and even thunderstorms
These striking weather maps show when thunderstorms will bring weeks of scorching sunshine to an abrupt halt.
Many Brits will briefly say goodbye to the dry summer for a few hours at least this week, with rain bringing sweet relief to millions. Several counties across the country saw less than 1mm of rainfall in July, with more than half of England and the entirety of Wales officially in drought.
The UK has been hit with four heatwaves so far in 2026, with wildfires causing devastation in Suffolk, the New Forest, Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Dorset. But a large amount of rain could be on its way in the days ahead for some as weather forecasters at Ventusky detail the areas where conditions will switch. It uses data provided by meteorologists at Metdesk.
On Tuesday, an area of low pressure will extend across the UK from the south west, bringing a spell of potentially heavy rain to parts of the north with showers in the south.
This will also bring warmer and more humid air back across England and Wales, with 30C likely to be exceeded again for some. Some areas are expected to experience thunderstorms, with maps showing that at around 4am parts of Northern Ireland possibly seeing thunderstorms. Cumbria and the Northeast of England could also see flashes of thunder as well as heavy showers, with an area of low pressure also covering much of Scotland.
By 7am, the rain moves down to north Wales, with storms also expected in parts of the Northwest of England. The soggy start to Tuesday will be felt in part of the Midlands and as far south as as Devon and Hampshire.
The 10am maps show thunderstorms could be felt in parts of Cumbria and again in Scotland as rain moves over the east of the England, with areas in Berkshire and Birmingham predicted to see some rainfall. By 4pm, the storms could return across the Irish sea, with data showing Belfast could be struck with storms.
No official weather warning for rain or thunderstorms are in place at this time.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Chris Bulmer said: “A change in weather type early next week will see warmer conditions return across England and Wales but in contrast to much of the summer, this will be associated with showers or perhaps thunderstorms for some places.
“However, some parts of the south will only see small amounts of rain. It will stay cooler in the north with the potential for heavy rain to build up, especially over parts of Scotland.”
The UK Health Security Agency has heat alerts in place for several areas from Sunday, August 2 until Wednesday August 5 at 9am.
The UK has been experiencing skyrocketing temperatures throughout the day and night, with extreme heat sweeping through the nation. Conditions this summer have resulted in record-breaking temperatures and three heatwaves.
But maps for August 10 show huge blue patches covering parts as far as the Scottish Highlands and as far south as Cornwall.
A large chunk of England will also experience wet conditions, with the heaviest rain across the North and the Midlands. Parts of Wales will see light rain, as well as the south, though most of the region will escape the rain by evening. Temperatures are also expected to be moderate potentially ranging in the mid-10s.
