Wednesday will see a band of showery rain move northwards across parts of England and Wales, with some areas experiencing heavy and potentially thundery downpours. There is also the possibility that this rain reaches parts of Northern Ireland as it continues its journey north. By the afternoon, the rain may begin to stall across northern England, leading to some prolonged wet conditions in places.

To the south of the main band of rain, brighter conditions are expected to develop. However, this will not necessarily mean a completely dry day, as further heavy showers and thunderstorms could break out during the afternoon. The extent and location of these showers remains uncertain, so some places may see prolonged dry spells while others experience torrential downpours.

Further north, much of Scotland and the far north of England are expected to remain fine and dry for much of the day. Across many areas it will feel warm and increasingly humid.

During Wednesday night, the area of showery rain is expected to continue pushing northwards into Scotland. Some of the rain may remain heavy, with the possibility of isolated thunderstorms. Elsewhere, many of the daytime showers should gradually fade, allowing a few fog patches to form by dawn.

Attention will then turn to southern and south-western England, where a further area of heavy and thundery rain is expected to arrive overnight before edging northwards. Temperatures will remain relatively high, making for a warm and muggy night in many places.

Outlook for Thursday

Thursday looks set to be the most unsettled day of the two. A broad band of heavy and potentially thundery rain is forecast to move slowly northwards across England and Wales. By the evening, this rain may begin to affect parts of Northern Ireland and southern Scotland.

Behind the rain, brighter conditions with sunny spells are expected to develop, although scattered showers will remain possible. Further north, cloudier skies and patchy rain are likely, particularly across eastern Scotland, where some heavier showers could develop.

Despite the unsettled conditions, temperatures will remain near normal or rather warm for many areas. Where sunshine develops away from the rain, it could become locally very warm, while the humid air will make it feel uncomfortable at times.

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Clare Nasir, said: “A thunderstorm warning is in place across parts of England and Wales today as warm, humid air combines with an increasingly unstable atmosphere. A band of heavy, thundery rain is moving northwards through England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, bringing the risk of torrential downpours, lightning, hail and poor visibility. Some areas could also see localised surface water flooding.

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"Away from the rain, there will be some sunshine developing, although this could help spark additional heavy showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Temperatures will be higher than yesterday, reaching 26 to 28°C across parts of England and Wales, while eastern coastal areas remain a little cooler in a fresh easterly breeze.

"Through tonight, the main area of rain will continue northwards into Scotland, while a further band of heavy and potentially thundery rain approaches southern England and Wales. It will be a warm and muggy night for many.

"Thursday will bring another spell of heavy, slow-moving rain and thunderstorms pushing north across England and Wales, reaching northern England later in the day. Some of this rain could be intense and persistent, creating difficult travelling conditions and the potential for localised flooding. Away from the heaviest rain, there will be some sunshine and scattered showers, with temperatures reaching the mid to high 20s across southern areas and around 22°C in western Scotland.

"The exact location of the most intense downpours remains uncertain, so it’s worth keeping up to date with the latest forecast and any weather warnings."

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A thunderstorm over a town