When will it stop raining? Latest UK Met Office forecast and when it might get warmer

July is proving to be a washout across the UK, and with more wet weather expected in August, it may be time to embrace the brollies and retire the bikinis.

After the hottest June on record, the UK has been shrouded in a low-pressure systems, which meteorologists predicting July 2023 could be on track to be the wettest in 14 years.

But don’t pack away the sunglasses just yet – there might be a glimmer of sunshine on the horizon. Here’s everything you need to know about when it might stop raining.

What is the Met Office forecast this week?

Meteorologists are predicting that on the whole it will remain “unsettled”, with longer spells of rain and a persistent breeze keeping temperatures below average.

Today
Prepare for outbreaks of rain and drizzle for many in the morning, though sunny spells and showers are expected to develop across southern parts of the UK into the afternoon, with rain continuing in the north. Expect another breezy and cool day.

Tonight
In Scotland, the rain is expected to slowly clear, and elsewhere evening sunshine could filter through. Parts of central and southern England and Wales should be prepared for heaving showers.

Tuesday
A mixture of sunshine and showers is expected across the UK. Heavy showers are forecast in the south, becoming light and isolated later, with stronger winds and cloud and rain moving into the south-west later.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday
Wednesday will continue to feel unsettled, with more persistent rain and stronger winds. A mixture of sunshine and showers is expected to follow on Thursday and Friday, though it will feel cool throughout.

Speaking to i, Stephen Dixon, a spokesperson for the Met Office, said the UK should strap in for another “wet and windy” week.

“Although Tuesday will start drier for many – except for some rain in northern England and Wales and some sporadic showers elsewhere, further rain will be building in from the southwest later in the evening and into Wednesday,” he added.

“This will bring with it some increasing winds on Wednesday along the south coast of the UK, with the highest winds expected on immediate coastlines.

“Associated with this low pressure system will be some heavy rain at times for much of the UK, in what will be an unseasonably wet and windy summer’s day.

“Cloud and rain looks most likely later in the working week, with a potential further period of wet weather as we head into the weekend, though details are uncertain at this lead time.”

What about August?

The Met Office’s long-range forecast indicates that for many, the wet weather is here to stay.

“Sunshine and showers are likely for many at the start of this period, locally heavy and thundery, with north-westerly or northerly winds bringing cool temperatures for the time of year,” the forecast states, warning that “changeable conditions” are likely to dominate the UK from 4th to 10th August.

However things could brighten up during the second half of the month, with some “shorter-lived periods of drier, more settled weather” on the cards.

But towards the end of August there is some hope that those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland may see a sunny August bank holiday weekend, though Scotland is expected to receive very damp weather.

But don’t put the parasol up yet – any prolonged dry and hot spells “appear to be unlikely” – and don’t hold your breath for a heatwave.