A 300-mile band of rain is forecast to sweep across England later this month, with weather maps pinpointing the areas most likely to see the heaviest downpours after weeks of largely dry conditions. The latest maps from WXCharts show a long corridor of wet weather stretching from northern England through the Midlands and towards the south coast at 12pm on Tuesday, July 28.
Blue shading indicates lighter or more persistent rainfall along much of the band, while the green, yellow and orange patches highlight where the most intense bursts are expected. The heaviest rain over England appears concentrated across northern counties, with the band then extending south through the East Midlands, central England and towards the south coast. A separate pocket of heavier showers is also forecast over parts of central Scotland and Northern Ireland. The change in conditions could offer some relief after another spell of intense summer heat. The latest Met Office forecast for July 19-28 says: “Towards the latter part of July, the influence of high pressure may wane somewhat, allowing a greater chance of rain, showers or thunderstorms compared to earlier in the month.”
The new maps indicate the most intense downpours will be confined to a relatively narrow corridor, with the orange and amber colours concentrated over parts of North Yorkshire and County Durham.
The midday forecast for Tuesday, July 28, suggests the rain band will already be well established across much of England by lunchtime.
The maps also point to a noticeable east-west split, with the main rain band affecting western and central parts of England, while many eastern areas remain largely dry.
Cooler air is expected to spread eastwards behind the rain, while the South East hangs on to the warmest temperatures.
This could create a marked contrast between cloudier, wetter conditions in the west and brighter, warmer weather further east.
Even where rain is forecast, southeast England is expected to remain relatively warm, with temperatures reaching 27C to 28C, compared with the low 20Cs across much of northern and central England and the mid-to-high teens in Scotland.