Wednesday starts with areas of rain, locally heavy at times, affecting the far north and northwest of Scotland and perhaps parts of Northern Ireland. This rain will slowly spread eastwards and gradually clear through the day.

Ahead of this rain, slow-moving heavy showers are expected to develop across parts of central and northern Scotland. Some of these showers could become thundery, bringing the potential for lightning and hail in places.

Further south, conditions look considerably drier. A few scattered showers are possible across west-facing hills in northern England and Wales, but much of central and southern England, along with large parts of Wales, should enjoy a mainly dry day with sunny intervals.

It will be a breezy day for many, with the strongest winds across Northern Ireland and northern England. Elsewhere, most areas will experience a noticeable breeze, although central and northern Scotland will be somewhat more sheltered for a time. Temperatures will be lower than those experienced on Tuesday, bringing a fresher feel for many.

Through Wednesday evening and overnight, winds will gradually ease. Rain across northern areas will become increasingly showery and slowly drift southeastwards before weakening. Many northern and northwestern areas will remain rather cloudy, while further south there will be a mixture of cloud and clearer spells. A few showers may affect western regions, but for many it will be a dry night. Temperatures are expected to remain close to the seasonal average.

Outlook for Thursday

Thursday brings a quieter picture for much of the UK. Any lingering rain in northeast Scotland will gradually clear, while a few showers may develop during the morning elsewhere. However, for many areas the day will be largely dry with sunny spells developing.

A breeze will continue across many parts of the UK, helping to maintain the fresher feel that arrives during midweek. Northern areas will wake to a cool start, and daytime temperatures generally look set to remain a little below average for the time of year.

For many in England and Wales, the headline story through the second half of the week remains one of largely settled weather, with sunshine at times and only a small chance of seeing any significant rainfall. By contrast, northern parts of the UK will continue to see the most unsettled conditions, although even here rainfall will become less widespread as Thursday progresses.

READ MORE: Week ahead: A change in the weather, but not for everyone

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Alex Burkill, said: “Some more persistent rain will move into western parts of Northern Ireland during the early hours of Wednesday morning, before becoming more widespread across Northern Ireland and Scotland through the morning.

“There will be some heavy bursts of rain, with the most intense and thundery conditions developing across central and eastern Scotland. Here, as much as 50mm of rain could accumulate in just five to six hours, which may lead to localised impacts. Alongside the heavy rain, thunderstorms could bring frequent lightning, hail and gusty winds.

“Further south, England and Wales will see a few showers, particularly in northwestern areas. However, many central, southern and eastern parts of England are expected to enjoy a fine, dry day with plenty of sunshine.

“A fresher air mass will arrive, so while temperatures could still reach the mid to high 20s in the southeast, it will not feel as hot or humid as recent days.

“It will also be quite breezy for many. Across parts of Northern England, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland, winds could become strong at times, while conditions will be less windy across central and northern Scotland, where winds will have eased considerably compared with Tuesday."

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