Goodbye heatwave? Heavy downpours to hit UK by Monday

The last few days of balmy weather could soon be a distant memory as heavy rain and storms set in for much of the UK by Monday night.

The country basked in 34.1C, the hottest day since 2006, on Thursday, but it looks like the heatwave is set to take a back seat for a couple of days.

According to the Daily Mail, up to an inch of rain will fall today (Sunday) with stormy weather travelling in from the west and spreading east.

By Monday, heavy rain and thunderstorms will have hit many areas across the UK.

The BBC forecast says Monday will see "a bright start for eastern counties but cloudier skies, with rain, extending eastwards, turning heavy at times, perhaps with thunder, although still some dry, bright spells likely, especially in Kent".

The Met Office tells a similar story, predicting for Monday: "Locally heavy rain over much of England, Wales and eastern Scotland will slowly clear eastwards, perhaps not leaving eastern parts until evening. Scattered showers will follow the rain, some heavy."

However, it's not all doom and gloom, with the Express reporting we'll see a return of the heatwave later on in the week. Brain Gaze, forecaster for The Weather Outlook, told the paper: "There will be more warm sunshine next week with 82F possible."

The Met Office adds: "Sunshine and scattered light showers on Tuesday, the showers becoming heavy, thundery and slow moving at times on Wednesday. Some longer sunny spells on Thursday, especially in the south."

The Weather Outlook says Monday will see widespread rain, but that Tuesday could get up to 81F in some areas: "Monday more wet weather will push east to bring quite a miserable start to the working week for much of the country.

"Heavy outbreaks of rain are likely in central and western regions, but in the south east it should be patchy and lighter.

"Things should improve on Tuesday with sunny spells in the south east possibly allowing temperatures to climb to 27C (81F), but showers will develop through the day."

Fancy some guaranteed sunshine? Try one of these late summer escapes:

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