Met Office Rain List: Atlantic rain brings heavy rain to Wales and Northern Ireland

The met office rain list points to a low pressure system from the Atlantic bringing wet weather across the UK on Thursday, after showers had already affected the country on Wednesday. Northern Ireland is set to turn wet overnight, while Wales faces heavy rain over the mountains and western counties.

Eastern Britain and Shetland had a fine start to Wednesday with sunshine, but eastern counties were expected to see the most showers later in the day, including hefty downpours. Temperatures on Wednesday were expected to sit around 14 to 17C.

Northern Ireland and Wales

Overnight, Northern Ireland was expected to turn wet with a southerly wind. By Thursday morning, the frontal rain had not yet reached northern Scotland or Norfolk and Suffolk, but southeastern Britain was expected to be wet by lunchtime.

Wales was expected to have a wet Thursday, with heavy rain over the mountains and western counties. The main rainband was then expected to move from northwest England and western Scotland across more of Scotland into the evening.

Weekend warmth

The stronger signal for a surge of heat over the weekend has diminished somewhat, even though temperatures could still rise into the high twenties Celsius and perhaps pass 30C. A high pressure system is trying to build over southern Britain, but the Atlantic low pressure system is dominating the pattern for now.

For readers in the wetter areas, Thursday is the day to watch: the rain arrives first in the west and north, then spreads southeast through the day.