UK weather maps show 17 counties face heavy rain on Thursday – full list

UK weather maps show 17 counties face heavy rain on Thursday – full list Met Office weather forecasters say 'widespread and heavy' rain could come to the UK this week, bringing some much needed relief to regions facing drought in England and Wales Some much needed rain looks to be on the cards this week in England and Wales following scorching heatwaves. Official drought status has been declared in most of England and all of Wales already this summer, which is on track to be the warmest since records began. Millions of people are currently living under hosepipe ban restrictions too. Thankfully the Met Office says “widespread and heavy” rain is on the cards from Thursday this week. The showers will also bring a risk of “thunder”, according to the national weather agency. The ECMWF weather model shows heavy rain falling in northern parts of England and Wales at around midday on Thursday, with the showers moving eastward and southward throughout the afternoon. The data suggests heavy showers could impact 17 counties in England and Wales, primarily in northern and central areas - although some areas further south could be in the firing line too. UK counties facing heavy rain on Thursday England - Lancashire - Yorkshire - Cheshire - Staffordshire - Derbyshire - Nottinghamshire - Lincolnshire - Shropshire - Norfolk - Suffolk - Warwickshire - Gloucestershire - Oxfordshire - Berkshire Wales - Caernarfonshire - Denbighshire - Flintshire BBC Weather forecast BBC Weather forecasters also say heavy rain is on the cards this week. The BBC forecast also suggests “lightning and hail” could impact some regions before the weekend. The BBC forecast states: “Wednesday, Thursday and Friday look to be unsettled days, as an area of low pressure sweeps across the UK, clearing into the North Sea later on Friday. “There will be a mixture of sunny spells, areas of variable cloud, and scattered showers across the UK. The showers will be heavy in places with a chance of lightning and hail. Trending gradually cooler throughout too.” The Met Office expects peak temperatures to drop as we head towards the weekend. Its latest forecast suggests Thursday will bring highs of 23C, with 22C coming on Friday - a far cry from the 38C heat that came last week.