Met Office weather maps show 800 mile band of rain engulfing UK - 14 areas to be hit

Met Office weather maps show 800 mile band of rain engulfing UK - 14 areas to be hit Heavy rain and wintry conditions are set to hit the UK on Thursday, 11 June, according to the Met Office forecast, with conditions set to get worse this afternoon Heavy downpours and wintry conditions are expected to batter the UK today (Thursday (11 June) as a band of rain moves across the country from the Atlantic. Numerous parts of the UK will be lashed by rainfall that "turn locally heavy at times," the Met Office forecast stated: "A wet and rather windy day as rain spreads across the east, turning locally heavy at times, but easing later. Feeling muggy under widespread cloud cover. Turning drier by the evening," the forecast also added. Claire Nasir from the Met Office explained: "We have a band of rain which has moved in from the Atlantic overnight and is extending eastwards through today. The wind will pick up towards the west as well as the south. We're likely to see some heavier pulses as well." There will be cloudy conditions, burst of rain and a 'fresh breeze' across the UK on Friday before warm weather moves in from the south west into the weekend. Sunny spells over the weekend The Met Office has said although there is likely to still be some rain or showers in the north on Saturday, the weekend will bring mostly dry weather with sunny spells and turning warmer through the weekend and into Monday. Brighter weather will push in from the West, bringing warmer and drier weather to England and Wales on Saturday. Showers will persist on Saturday in Scotland and the North of England, before a drier day on Sunday for all of the UK. Temperatures will reach up to 26C in the South East on Sunday afternoon. Levels of grass pollen will also be high over the weekend. A separate forecast from Netweather.tv also said clouds and rain are reaching the UK today, bringing "proper rain" on Thursday. Jo Farrow, weather expert, wrote on the site: "Thursday does look wet as a low pressure brings a spell of proper rain across the UK. It will turn wet and windy before the rain clears away. Temperatures will remain below average overall." UK areas facing heavy rain on Thursday afternoon England - North East England - North West England - Yorkshire & Humber - East Midlands - West Midlands - East of England - London & South East England - South West England Scotland - Orkney & Shetland - Highlands & Eilean Siar - Grampian - Central, Tayside & Fife - Strathclyde - Dumfries, Galloway, Lothian & Borders