A weather warning for thunderstorms is in place in Scotland while temperatures cool across other parts of the UK.
A cluster of heavy, slow-moving showers and storms will roll across eastern Scotland on Wednesday afternoon, with the potential for flash floods and impacts to transport networks, the Met Office has said.
A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms currently covers much of north-east Scotland and is in force until 9pm on Wednesday.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has issued several flood alerts, but has underlined that heavy rain after dry weather can cause flooding without the “sustained recovery” needed.
The agency extended its restrictions on companies which usually take water from the environment, due to the continued water scarcity.
There is a marked North-South split in conditions, as the South continues to experience dry weather with sunny spells.
Temperatures reached 33C in parts of south-east England on Monday as the country saw another hot start to the week, which was warmer than holiday hotspots in Greece.
Though it remains dry in the South, temperatures dropped to around 24C in London on Wednesday.
Where rain and thunder could hit the UK over the coming days:
By Thursday, outbreaks of rain in the North will sink South, but they will turn more showery, forecasters said.
Some of it may reach rain-starved parts of eastern England, though little is expected for central and southern England.
July was the driest month ever recorded in southern England – and meteorologists have said there may not be significant rainfall in the area for some time.
The extreme weather of summer 2026 has included two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June that led to more than 2,800 excess deaths.
Two more heatwaves in July, the driest July in England and Wales since records began, have fuelled drought and wildfires.
Major supermarkets have removed disposable barbecues from sale amid warnings of a heightened risk of wildfires.
Asda was the latest to start pulling single-use grills from its shelves on Tuesday as a spell of exceptionally dry and hot weather continues to grip parts of the UK.
Firefighters have tackled wildfires across the country, including in Dunwich, Suffolk, and the Cairngorms in recent weeks.
Met Office five-day forecast
Wednesday
Rain persists across far northern Scotland, while showers develop widely across Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England. These will become slow-moving and thundery in places. Elsewhere, dry with sunny spells. Windy in the North, especially around exposed coasts.
Wednesday night
Showers or longer spells of rain continue across northern areas, gradually clearing eastwards overnight. Dry elsewhere with clear spells. Much cooler than recent nights.
Thursday
Drier on Thursday, with sunny or bright spells developing despite a fair amount of cloud. A few isolated showers persist. Cooler than recent days, with temperatures close to average.
Friday to Sunday
Dry for many on Friday. A band of rain affecting the northwest on Saturday will sink southwards on Sunday, though some areas will remain dry. Average temperatures at first.
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