UK weather: Flood alerts in force as downpours to hit parts of UK

Forecasters predict patchwork of rain, gales, frost and sunshine

Flood alerts are in force as wet and windy weather is set to hit parts of the UK.

Rain and drizzle are predicted for most on Monday, particularly in the northwest of England where heavier downpours are likely.

A warm weather front is expected to bring milder temperatures to the west of the UK, with highs between 11C and 13C likely on Monday afternoon.

But temperatures will remain on the colder side with single figures in the east, while gales and showers are forecast for northern Scotland.

The Environment Agency has issued three flood alerts covering the South East Somerset Rivers, Upper Reaches, West Somerset Streams and Severn Vyrnwy confluence throughout Monday.

These were downgraded from 12 flood alerts on Sunday as heavy rainfall caused rivers to swell and rise.

Conditions are expected to turn chilly overnight into early Tuesday, with frost forecast for parts of Scotland, where it will remain windy and wet, as temperatures dip to between 5C and 7C in the north. It will be slightly warmer elsewhere, with temperatures of 8C-10C largely predicted.

Forecasters have said rain will be mostly confined to southern England and South Wales on Tuesday, while the rest of the UK should enjoy some sunshine.

The winds will pick up in Scotland later into Tuesday and there will be early frost across parts of the north.

On Wednesday, it should be dry, settled and sunny for most, according to the Met Office, although showery rain will continue in parts of Scotland.

Things will then reverse towards the end of the week, with chilly and frosty conditions expected on Friday in the south, which could see fog in some places.

Temperatures are forecast to dip to 4C and 5C here, while the north of the UK should see highs of 8C and 9C.

The Met Office’s long range weather forecast suggests things will remain relatively settled in the UK until late January, when “a more unsettled regime” could bring snow to lower parts of Scotland.