Weather warning as heatwave gives way to downpours
More heavy downpours could signal further disruption for travellers as the changeable weather continues.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain across parts of the Midlands, the North West of England, Northern Ireland and south-west Scotland until midnight on Sunday.
Forecasters say the heavy rainfall could bring flooding and road closures, as well as potential delays to bus and rail services.
It comes after a week in which Britain was hit by hot temperatures and thunderstorms, with the heatwave causing problems for train and air passengers.
Meteorologist Mark Wilson said the next few days would bring a “mixed bag” of weather, but temperatures would be markedly down on Thursday’s record-breaking highs.
He said: “The parts of the country covered by the weather warning (on Sunday) can expect to see some heavy rain. There is the potential for disruption with difficult driving conditions and it could affect things like buses or trains.
“The best of the weather on Sunday will be across south-west areas, where it will be fairly dry with sunny spells and highs of 23 or 24C.”
Overnight on Saturday into Sunday, parts of Scotland saw approximately 40mm of rain, while Cumbria and the North West of England were also hit by downpours.
The potential for disruption comes amid repair work affecting the London St Pancras-Nottingham-Sheffield rail route this weekend.
East Midlands Trains (EMT) customers were told to check before heading out on their journeys and not to travel on the route due to a reduced timetable.
Meanwhile, passengers using Heathrow and Gatwick airports have had to contend with delays due to the extreme weather conditions across Europe.
On Sunday morning, Gatwick Airport said: “We aim to run a normal schedule today, however due to ongoing adverse weather across Europe, passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest information.”
Heading into next week, heavy showers and thunderstorms could return to parts of the UK on Monday and into Tuesday, while temperatures are likely to be back to normal for the time of year.