Rain forecast to follow ‘remarkably dry start to spring’, says Met Office

The Met Office has forecast rain showers for parts of the UK next week following a “remarkably dry start to spring”.

The Environment Agency has warned of the risk of drought this summer without sustained rainfall after the driest start to spring in nearly six decades, with millions of households told they may face restrictions on water use in the coming months.

As of Friday, 80.6mm of rain had been recorded for the UK this spring, nearly 20mm less than the record low for the full season of 100.7mm set in 1852.

Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud told the PA news agency: “We are looking at an increasing chance of showers Tuesday onwards across southern areas of the country.

“Then beyond that, Thursday and Friday are likely to become dry, fine and sunny again, with good deals of sunshine for much of the country.”

Mr Stroud said Monday would see sunny spells in the west develop widely with a “few scattered showers developing across the north during the course of Monday afternoon”.

He added: “One or two of those could be heavy, potentially thundery, but most places are going to be warm and dry.”

The meteorologist said weather across the UK this season has been “remarkably dry up until now”.

He added: “It’s been a remarkably dry start to spring, and also a remarkably dry start to May.

“The final week of May, the half-term week, is looking increasingly changeable, with areas of cloud and rain arriving from the west.”

The Met Office said the driver for the prolonged warm and very dry spell has been high pressure.

Many gardens at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show are focusing on a drier future as amateur gardeners – and professional show designers – struggle with the dry spring.

The London show, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, could see some rain showers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mr Stroud said Tuesday would see “occasional heavy and potentially thundery showers developing across parts of Wales and the Midlands, with one or two of those breaching into London”.

Discussing Wednesday’s forecast, Mr Stroud said: “It will be a bit of a chilly start across England and Wales with plenty of sunshine to kick the day off.

“But showers will develop across England and Wales, with some of those showers potentially heavy and thundery and breaching into the London area.”