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Large parts of the United Kingdom are set to be soaked in rain once again after a brief respite, the Met Office has said, with hundreds of flood alerts and warnings already in place.
A mix of sunshine and showers can be expected throughout the country for the next two-three days before rain clears up before the next week, according to the forecast.
For most of England and Wales, Tuesday will start dry, but the sky will gradually see cloud cover, with outbreaks of rain originating in the southwest and then spreading across throughout the day.
Scotland will witness a mix of sunshine and showers with some snow in the north while Northern Ireland will stay predominantly dry and cloudy on Tuesday.
Temperatures will remain mild as mercury stays in higher single digits in the north with the south seeing temperatures close to 10-12 degrees Celsius.
The showers return after a brief respite following flooding and travel disruptions last week when up to 10cm of snowfall was recorded, with many areas already on saturated ground.
Intermittent outbreaks of rain and drizzle are expected to continue overnight. However, a clear sky awaits northern Scotland, where temperatures are expected to drop, bringing a touch of frost to the chilly landscape.
The cloudy and mild conditions will continue on Wednesday and Thursday, featuring intermittent outbreaks of rain and drizzle.
The rain will spread across northern Scotland on Wednesday with the possibility of some snow in the hilly areas. While eastern England may experience brighter spells amidst the cloud cover, contributing to a mild overall temperature.
The Met Office said that while there are no weather warnings in place for rain as of yet, the saturated ground “increases the sensitivity for rain events”.
Met Office forecaster Andrea Bishop said: “It does look a wet week, with Thursday looking the wettest day.
“With regards to Thursday’s rain, the rain will push northeastwards across most of the country, with many places seeing 20mm or so over the course of a day or two.
The Environment Agency has warned residents in flood warning zones to avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water.
England flood alerts and warnings
(Environment Agency)
Later on Friday, “drier and brighter” conditions are expected with just a few showers in England and Wales.
The weekend is “likely to remain rather unsettled” the Met Office says, with further rain or showers for many. But milder conditions are expected at the start of next week with a high pressure starting to take hold and bring more settled conditions.
