UK weather forecast: Temperatures to plunge to 1C as rain and thunderstorms hit

Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms will hit Britain this weekend with temperatures plunging to as low as 1C in some parts.

Much of the country was shrouded by grey clouds and rain yesterday and that trend is set to continue for Saturday and Sunday.

Met Office forecasters have warned there could be “heavy and prolonged” periods of wet weather across the country, particularly in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Some of the showers could even hang around until the start of next week, forecasters fear.

But the picture for other regions is mixed and the south of England could bask in temperatures of up to 19C during brief outbreaks of sunshine.

The miserable May weather comes after a week of sunshine which saw temperatures between the high teens and 20C.

Met Office forecaster Richard Miles said: "Rain will be coming in from the East to northern England and Scotland."

Britain is bracing for a miserable, wet weekend (Alamy Live News.)

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He added: "It could get quite heavy in Scotland and the eastern slopes.

"Overall the weekend will be cold and damp - while the South will be fine.

"Overnight it could get as low as 1C on the Eastern coast between Newcastle and Hull."

Temperatures could plunge to 1C in some parts of the northeast (PA)

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The dreary weather will also affect Scotland where the mercury will struggle to stay above 12C.

Met office's Greg Dewhurst said: "The weekend will be more unsettled compared to what we have seen.

"This is because the low pressure will be in charge, replacing the high pressure which has caused the warmer sunshine."

He added: "This low pressure is moving in from Europe, bringing with it showery conditions on Saturday.

"Parts of northern England will be cloudy, with bouts of showery, even heavy rain.

Sweeping rain will move in from the North Sea (WXCharts)

"Southern areas and in Northern Ireland and Wales there will be a mix of sun and showers.

"On Sunday the whole of the UK will see some sunshine and rain, with a risk of thunder."

However another u-turn after the weekend will see a return to blue skies and sunshine by the middle of next week week.

Mr Dewhurst said: “After an unsettled weekend and start to the new week, things will settle down again as we go through the week.

“It might not be quite as nice as we have seen over the past couple of days, but all in all it doesn’t look bad at all.”