UK weather: Sunny and dry start to the week following thundery downpours

Highs of 20C expected in southeast on Monday

Britons can expect a largely dry and sunny start to the week following thundery downpours over the weekend.

Swathes of southeast England saw heavy rain on Saturday on Sunday but that area of low pressure will make way for warmer spells over the next two days.

Monday will get off to a murky start although much of that cloud will lift as the day progresses, bringing bright and sunny spells.

Temperatures across the UK will be reasonably warm, although much cooler than the mid-to-high 20s recorded at the end of May.

Plymouth, London and Liverpool can expect highs of around 19C or 20C on Monday, while things will be slightly chillier in Edinburgh where the mercury will struggle to get above 15C.

It will be sunny, dry and bright for most of the country, with just some patches of heavy rain in the southwest of England and Wales, according to the Met Office.

Forecaster Simon Partridge told The Independent: “It’s generally a better picture than we had at the weekend.

“An area of high pressure will bring much lighter winds across the UK meaning it will feel warmer than it has done over the past few days.”

“Mostly a dry day on Monday across the country, cloudy at times but plenty of bright and sunny spells around.”

Looking ahead to Tuesday, things will stay reasonably warm and sunny for the majority of the UK, with a high of 22C expected in the southeast of England.

There will be a few showers on Tuesday although these will mostly affect the north and northeast of England as well as eastern Scotland.

“Again, mostly dry across the UK with light winds making it feel reasonably warm,” Mr Partridge explained.

“Going into the evening we’ll see some heavier rain arrive across Northern Ireland and western Scotland.

“Bright and sunny for the bulk of the country on Wednesday, with temperatures very similar to Tuesday – 20C or 21C likely to be the highs.”

On Wednesday, cloud and outbreaks of rain will spread across the country, some of which will be heavy.

It will be grey across much of England and Wales on Thursday. Scotland and Northern Ireland will be mostly dry and cloudy. It will be cool with a brisk north-easterly wind.