UK weather: Weather warnings for rain issued as hail and thunder to hit some areas

Northwest of England and Wales at risk of flooding this week

All parts of the UK will wake up to a cold and windy start to Wednesday, with a mixture of sunny spells and showers on the cards throughout the day.

According to the Met Office, some of these showers will be heavy with hail and thunder in some areas, with parts of the northeast experiencing the driest of this unsettled period. The west will see the gustiest of winds and most frequent showers.

Yellow weather warnings for rain remain in place on Thursday and Friday for the northwest of England, Yorkshire and Humber, and Wales, with the potential for deep floodwater that may cause “danger to life”.

Today, temperatures in London will reach a high of 13C, slightly below average for this time of the year, whilst temperatures in Edinburgh will just about reach 9C.

But the mercury will rise as the weekend approaches, becoming quite warm and mild from Friday until Monday. Some parts of the south may even see highs of 18C by Monday.

The strong, blustery winds are expected to ease through the evening on Wednesday with most parts turning dry with clear spells possible tonight.

However, the unsettled conditions continue to dominate the end of October, and conditions will stay wet and windy on Thursday.

Heavy rain is expected to spread northeast, with the southwest turning drier through the afternoon but staying windy with further spells of drizzle possible.

The Met Office’s chief meteorologist Andy Page said the unsettled autumnal weather is a result of the remnants of former Hurricane Epsilon, which has caused “trailing weather fronts” that affect the UK despite its low centre being in the south-west of Iceland.