UK weather: Two days of heavy rain to lash Brits as Met Office issues warnings

The UK is set to be battered by heavy rain from Monday afternoon with warnings issued for much of the country.

The Met Office has put out a yellow alert for torrential downpours in South West, South East and East England, the West Midlands, London and Wales from 5pm on Monday.

A further warning for wet weather is in place in the East Midlands from 2am Tuesday to midnight the same day.

It has said residents can expect: "A few homes and businesses flooded. Bus and train services affected with journey times taking longer.

"Spray and flooding on roads will make journey times longer."

The west of the country is likely to be worst hit by the rain and flooding on Monday (Met office)

After a weekend of showers and gales for much of the country it is going to be a similar story for much of the week.

A Met Office forecaster said: "Monday will continue the showery theme across much of the UK, some heavy showers around in places with a risk of hail and thunder before more general outbreaks of heavy rain arrive across the South West later.

"It has been an unsettled weekend all down to an area of low pressure that's moving to the north of Scotland now leaving the UK in the run of these westerly winds with showers for Monday before a deepening area of low pressure arrives across the south on Tuesday."

People have been told to expect flooding and travel disruption (PA)

While the rain continues during the week at least the strong winds over the weekend are expected to ease and the temperatures could rise slightly.

The outlook for Monday from the Met Office states: "Showers, some heavy, particularly in the west and south-east at first, developing elsewhere through the day.

"Some sunshine between the showers, best in the east. Rain and strong winds reaching the far south-west later."

The heavy rain is expected to move across England overnight into Tuesday.

The heavy rain is predicted to move north during Monday night and into Tuesday (Met office)

The Met Office said: "Heavy rain moving east across England and Wales with strong winds and coastal gales in the south and west. Patchy frost and fog for central and northern Scotland."

Then the north is likely to take the brunt of the rain on Tuesday with the weather clearing up in the South West.

"Persistent and at times heavy rain and strong winds for northern England and south-east Scotland," said the Met Office.

"Rain clearing to blustery showers and sunny spells in the south and west."

For the rest of the week drivers have also been told that there could be "morning fog" around.

The Met Office states for Wednesday to Friday: "Cloud and rain affecting Northern Ireland and Scotland at times, heavy and persistent in the west.

"Elsewhere, becoming largely settled with variable cloud and some morning fog. Becoming warmer."

UK forecast for the next 5 days

Today:

Showers, some heavy, particularly in the west and south-east at first, developing elsewhere through the day. Some sunshine between the showers, best in the east. Rain and strong winds reaching the far south-west later.

Tonight:

Heavy rain moving east across England and Wales with strong winds and coastal gales in the south and west. Patchy frost and fog for central and northern Scotland.

Tuesday:

Persistent and at times heavy rain and strong winds for northern England and south-east Scotland. Rain clearing to blustery showers and sunny spells in the south and west.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Cloud and rain affecting Northern Ireland and Scotland at times, heavy and persistent in the west. Elsewhere, becoming largely settled with variable cloud and some morning fog. Becoming warmer.