Heavy rain is anticipated in some regions of the UK on Thursday and Friday, but many will enjoy drier and sunnier conditions throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.

Britain will scorch in 26-degree heat again next week as warm, sunny weather returns to parts of the country.

In preparation for the weekend in UK
golden hour
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It's been a humid week so far, with rain impacting western and northern portions of the UK, but rain will extend farther east for the remainder of the week.

This increases the likelihood of strong and thunderous downpours, which might cause localized surface flooding on roadways in the southeast, particularly on Wednesday night and Thursday early.

Eastern parts will be clearer by Friday, but more rain will fall from the west to southern Scotland and northwest England.

The Azores High will come in over the weekend, providing for long periods of dry, excellent weather for many.

According to Aidan McGivern of the Met Office, The Azores are a collection of islands in the mid-Atlantic.

Throughout much of the year, there is semi-permanent high pressure.

But what has happened so far this year, particularly over the summer, is that high pressure from the Azores has continued to spread across the UK, resulting in a warm and dry summer. And the trend will be repeated this weekend.

Though the weather is unlikely to have a significant impact, some travel inconvenience is possible. According to RAC Breakdown Spokesperson Rod Dennis,

Because it's the final bank holiday before Christmas for many people, we expect traffic congestion to grow during Friday afternoon and continue in waves throughout the weekend.

Most people will be relieved by the settled weather, although drivers should be careful of showers in the west, where standing water might pose a hazard.

We also strongly advise drivers to double-check that their vehicles are in excellent operating order before setting out, and to keep an eye on Met Office weather forecasts.

26C Heatwave next week

According to Netweather, highs of 24 degrees Celsius are expected today (Friday), primarily in the southeast of England, as per Express.

The weekend looks to be sunnier, with generally sunny periods and dry weather. The south will have the hottest temperatures, with highs in the southwest reaching 25 degrees on Saturday.

"It will feel warm enough for southern Britain on Saturday (21 to 25C) and south west Britain on Sunday (22 to 26C), but there will always be milder, fresher conditions out to the north," said Jo Farrow, a senior forecaster at Netweather.

This chilly air is expected to sink well into the North Sea on Sunday night and Bank Holiday Monday, followed by a denser overcast.

She went on to say that temperatures might get to 27 degrees Celsius in more protected areas, but that it won't be hot enough for the holiday weekend.

The sun is still shining brightly, but the nights will swiftly cool off, with nighttime temperatures in the countryside falling into the single digits.

The Met Office noted that the period would begin dry with sunny periods, particularly in the west, with the possibility of an isolated shower in the far southwest and a strong breeze across southern coastal regions.

Throughout the week and into September, high pressure will persist, delivering beautiful and dry weather to most places.

Rain is possible in the west and northwest at times, and thundery showers are possible in the south and east. Winds have returned to being typically light.