Britain set for thunderstorms as forecasters predict two INCHES of rain to fall today 

Britain is set for thunderstorms and ‘intense downpours’ with nearly two inches of rain expected today as the wet weather continues.

After the blistering heat of the early week, Britain remains cooler today with temperatures reaching only highs of 60s in the south of the country.

Storm Debby battered parts of the UK yesterday, with the temperature almost hitting freezing in Northern Ireland.

And the heavy rain is unlikely to disappear with showers already falling in the west of England and South Wales with the Met Office predicting between one and 2.5 inches for those areas. 

Wet weather has set in on the southern coast at Dorset with waves set to batter the shore throughout the day at the seaside resort of West Bay

Two inches of rainfall is predicted across the UK today as the country cools down from higher temperatures earlier this week

Two inches of rainfall is predicted across the UK today as the country cools down from higher temperatures earlier this week

A family are splashed by rough seas in Dorset which has already began to feel the effects of thunderstorms and wet weather which is set to hit parts of the UK in the coming days

A family are splashed by rough seas in Dorset which has already began to feel the effects of thunderstorms and wet weather which is set to hit parts of the UK in the coming days

Throughout the day the wet weather will continue to make its way from west to east of the UK and by the afternoon, central, south and south-east England will see 1.5 inches of rain.

The west will be given a short break from the torrential downpour before picking back up again in the afternoon with up to another 1.5 inches adding to the morning puddles.

The West Midlands will see thunder in parts to add to the wet weather.

The remarkable turnaround in conditions from 92F (33C) heat last week began on Thursday and ended a 47-day consecutive run of somewhere in the UK getting to at least 75F (24C) as people across the country swap their sun cream and hats for umbrellas and coats.

More than 300 colourful balloons take off over Bristol at dawn yesterday morning as The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta celebrated it's 40th year

More than 300 colourful balloons take off over Bristol at dawn yesterday morning as The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta celebrated it’s 40th year

People walk on top of the parched grass on Oxford Castle Mound on what was an overcast afternoon in Oxford yesterday

People walk on top of the parched grass on Oxford Castle Mound on what was an overcast afternoon in Oxford yesterday

These pair enjoyed the cool temperatures by sitting under a willow tree and having a chat in Christchurch Meadows, Oxford

These pair enjoyed the cool temperatures by sitting under a willow tree and having a chat in Christchurch Meadows, Oxford

Brave locals and tourists flocked to Brighton beach yesterday morning despite the warning of wet weather

Brave locals and tourists flocked to Brighton beach yesterday morning despite the warning of wet weather

Met Office forecaster Emma Smith said: ‘Storm Debby is coming over from the Atlantic and its remnants are expected to hit the UK this weekend. 

‘It is coming from the tropics, so temperatures will remain very humid over the next few days.

‘Wet and windy weather will continue through till Sunday evening.’

The wet conditions have brought some much-needed relief to parts of southern and central England which have spent the equivalent of around two months of 2018 without any recorded rainfall.

Flora Powell,  19,  and Jess Blake, 18, both from Newquay jump and dance in the rain at Boardmasters festival despite the bad weather yesterday

Flora Powell,  19,  and Jess Blake, 18, both from Newquay jump and dance in the rain at Boardmasters festival despite the bad weather yesterday

Visitors made the most of the wet and windy weather in Weymouth after the heatwave finally came to an end

Visitors made the most of the wet and windy weather in Weymouth after the heatwave finally came to an end

Visitors look on at a seagull in Weymouth as they refuse to let the wet and windy weather stop them from getting out and about

Visitors look on at a seagull in Weymouth as they refuse to let the wet and windy weather stop them from getting out and about

 Wet weather continues across Britain today well into the afternoon for the whole of the country

Music lovers at New Quay's Boardmasters festival put on plastic ponchos to shelter themselves from the rain

Music lovers at New Quay’s Boardmasters festival put on plastic ponchos to shelter themselves from the rain

People walk on the wind and rain swept sand at Fistral Beach in Newquay as they head to Boardmasters festival

People walk on the wind and rain swept sand at Fistral Beach in Newquay as they head to Boardmasters festival

Southeast England clocked up 64 days of zero average rainfall between January and July, while central England had 54 days. The last time both regions had a higher number of rain-free days in this period was the mid-1990s.

The UK faces showers and winds sweeping across the nation from the west for the next 15 days after the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby halted the heatwave, which is set to continue until October.

So while the weekend might be a washout, the summer heat we’ve become used to will return by the middle of the week.

Temperatures will have crept up to 80F (27C) in some places and it will also feel very humid, by Wednesday.

New Metropolitan Police officers march through the pouring rain at a passing out parade in north London on Thursday 

New Metropolitan Police officers march through the pouring rain at a passing out parade in north London on Thursday 

Stormy clouds chase away the blue skies of London as the heatwave is well and truly ended with thunder, lightning and showers over the capital on Thursday 

Stormy clouds chase away the blue skies of London as the heatwave is well and truly ended with thunder, lightning and showers over the capital on Thursday 

People huddle under their umbrellas as they boat down the River Cam in Cambridge below others sheltering from the downpour while walking across the bridge on Thursday

People huddle under their umbrellas as they boat down the River Cam in Cambridge below others sheltering from the downpour while walking across the bridge on Thursday

Two women walk across Tower Bridge in the heavy rain in London Thursday afternoon as the capital is hit by bad weather

Two women walk across Tower Bridge in the heavy rain in London Thursday afternoon as the capital is hit by bad weather

A man runs for cover as a sudden rain shower hits Uxbridge

Shoppers run for cover as a sudden rain shower hits Uxbridge

Pedestrians run for cover as a sudden rain shower hits Uxbridge in West London amid bad weather in the capital on Thursday

Women run for cover as the rain pelts central London during Thursday afternoon's downpour, leaving the capital's commuters and workers soaked

Women run for cover as the rain pelts central London during Thursday afternoon’s downpour, leaving the capital’s commuters and workers soaked

How Britain’s temperatures got above 75F for 47 days in a row during the prolonged heatwave

The top temperature somewhere in Britain reached over 75F (24C) for 47 days in a row during the prolonged heatwave.

Of those 47 days, some 29 saw temperatures of at least 85F (29.4C), while ten got all the way to at least 90F (32C).

However, the record ended yesterday when Plymouth in Devon was the hotspot, but only made it up to 74.1F (23.4C).

The hottest day of 2018 was broken six times within the period – including on four days in a row in June.

The lowest reading in the 47-day period was 75.2F (24C) on July 28, while the highest was 95.2F (35.1C) two days earlier.

Here are the top temperatures recorded in Britain on each of the past 47 days: 

June 23: 76.3F (24.6C)

June 24: 79.7F (26.5C)

June 25: 86.2F (30.1C)

June 26: 87.4F (30.8C)

June 27: 89.4F (31.9C)

June 28: 91.4F (33C)

June 29: 90.5F (32.5C)

June 30: 85.1F (29.5C)

July 1: 90F (32.2C) 

July 2: 88.2F (31.3C) 

July 3: 86.2F (30.1C)

July 4: 84.4F (29.1C) 

July 5: 88.6F (31.2C)

July 6: 88.5F (31.4C)

July 7: 88.7F (31.5C)

July 8: 90.3F (32.4C) 

July 9: 86.9F (30.5C)

July 10: 79.3F (26.3C)

July 11: 81F (27.2C)

July 12: 79.7F (26.5C)

July 13: 82.6F (28.1C)

July 14: 85.3F (29.6C)

July 15: 87.4F (30.8C) 

July 16: 88.7F (31.5C)

July 17: 78.4F (25.8C)

July 18: 80.2F (26.8C)

July 19: 84.3F (29.1C)

July 20: 83.1F (28.4C)

July 21: 84.4F (29.1C)

July 22: 85.6F (29.8C)

July 23: 91.9F (33.3C)

July 24: 88.5F (31.4C)

July 25: 89.6F (32C)

July 26: 95.2F (35.1C) 

July 27 – 94.5F (34.7C) 

July 28 – 75.2F (24C)

July 29 – 76.3F (24.6C)

July 30 – 79.2F (26.2C)

July 31 – 78.4F (25.8C)

August 1 – 80.4F (26.9C)

August 2 – 87.1F (30.6C)

August 3 – 91.8F (33.2C)

August 4 – 85.6F (29.8C)

August 5 – 86.4F (30.2C)

August 6 – 90.5F (32.5C) 

August 7 – 91.8F (33.2C)

Yesterday – 78.1F (25.6C) 

This year’s run of 47 days with temperatures over 75F (24C) was unusual for Britain – but just missed out on the record.

That is held by 1995 which saw a 53-day period from July 5 to August 26 when the mercury hit at least 75F (24C).

In comparison, the famous heatwave summer of 1976 saw 15 days in a row when temperatures hit at least 89.7F (32C).



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