UK weather maps show exact date 47 counties battered by rain and thunderstorms

The UK is finally set for rain after months of warm, dry weather.

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08:29, Tue, Aug 18, 2026 Updated: 08:50, Tue, Aug 18, 2026

[Rear view of two women under one umbrella walking the sidewalk in London downtown]

Large parts of the country could be hit by rain in the coming days (Image: Getty)

Britain is set for a barrage of rain after temperatures dropped across the UK following the countrys fifth heatwave of the year. New weather data from WXCharts.com shows large parts of the country turning yellow and orange as a wet weather deluge moves in on Thursday.

The worst conditions are concentrated across northern England, north Wales and the Midlands, where the maps show intense yellow, orange and red rainfall cells embedded inside a much broader area of wet weather. Parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire and the Midlands could be hit by particularly sharp bursts, while showers also pepper Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The picture remains thoroughly unsettled into the afternoon, with powerful downpours capable of dumping a lot of rain in a short space of time.

[A weather map of the UK showing rain]

Heavy rainfall will be seen on Thursday morning (Image: WXCharts.com)

Some areas may dodge the worst and stay largely dry between showers, but others could be soaked as individual cells pass overhead.

By 4pm the heaviest rain remains focused across northern and central England, while scattered showers continue from the Highlands down to the South East.

The UK recently experienced its fifth heatwave of the summer with the hottest day of the year recorded in Kew Gardens, London, on Thursday when temperatures reached 38.1C.

A Met Office meteorologist said that the south of the UK will experience changeable conditions with temperatures turning cooler and thunderstorms becoming a distinct possibility.

In a Sunday update, Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: I cant promise rain for all of us through the week ahead, but in the south at least, its looking like the most changeable week weve seen here well at least since the end of June.

[A weather map of the UK showing rain]

By midday, large parts of the country will be covered (Image: WXCharts.com)

[A weather map of the UK showing rain]

The Met Office have warned of the possibility of thunderstorms (Image: WXCharts.com)

A jet stream which has been far in the north of the UK has allowed high pressure to dominate, causing the recent excessively hot conditions, Mr Morgan said.

Mr Morgan said it would travel south, meaning that low pressure will dominate, adding: So a much more changeable and at times unsettled outlook through the middle part of the week low pressure will dominate and slowly drift its way southwards.

He said it would start to turn cooler as wind switches to a northerly direction, adding: So as well as some rain, showers, and even thunderstorms in places, it will certainly feel considerably fresher than recent weeks in the south.

A Met Office forecast for Thursday to Saturday said: A northerly wind develops for the next few days, allowing temperatures to drop below average. Thunder showers for Thursday and Friday, but brighter and drier for Saturday.