Rain to return to drought-hit Britain this week with risk of flash flooding
Heavy rain and muggy nights are anticipated across the country
Rain and thundery conditions can be expected across the country following a warm start to the week, according to the Met Office.
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There is a high likelihood of heavy rain from Wednesday as humid air is set to develop into thunderstorms, particularly in England and Wales.
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster, Mark Sidaway, said: "While many areas will see dry and increasingly warm conditions at the start of the week, attention is turning to the potential for heavy rain and thunderstorms from Wednesday onwards.
"As warmer and more humid air moves north across the UK, there is an increasing likelihood of some heavy rain developing. Some places could see 20 to 30mm of rain in just a few hours, while there is also the potential for higher totals where thunderstorms repeatedly affect the same locations.”
Read more: Could there be a hot Christmas due to the El Nino effect?
A fine start to the week for many but the weather looks set to turn more unsettled, with heavy rain, thunderstorms and increasingly humid conditions on the way ⛈️
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 23, 2026
More details on this week's weather right here 👇 pic.twitter.com/9MKbNd8z13
The Met Office also warned that some locations in the UK could see cumulative totals of 40 to 60mm of rain.
If 20 to 30mm of rain falls in a short amount of time, drains and surfaces could become overwhelmed with water. More than 50mm of rain is often associated with flooding.
"The detail of which areas will see the heaviest rainfall is still uncertain, " said Sidaway. “So stay up to date with the forecast this week to keep updated on the increasing risk of impactful weather during the latter part of the week."
Rain is predicted to travel as a band up from England and Wales on Thursday and Friday. High winds are anticipated in northeastern and eastern coastal regions on Friday.
The Met Office has also warned of humid and muggy conditions throughout the week. Rain may be falling, but it is expected to remain hot at night.
This rain comes after the driest July in recorded history, and a similarly dry August. Despite the high levels of rain expected to fall in the coming days, it will not be enough to reverse the drought that the UK is experiencing.
Drought conditions only fully reverse when river, reservoir, and groundwater water stores return to pre-drought levels. This can only be brought about by sustained rain, not just a few days of heavy storms.
The UK is predicted to have a rainy autumn, due to being hit by El Niño, which is expected to bring heavy rain and storms.
However, 2027 is expected to be the hottest year in the UK to date, which could lead to more extreme swings between droughts and floods in the future.