Britain is bracing for a dramatic shift in weather this weekend, as a deepening area of low pressure is set to sweep across the country, bringing torrential rain, powerful winds, and the threat of thunderstorms. The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for large swathes of the UK, with forecasters cautioning that the coming days could see significant disruption, especially from Saturday, September 20, through early Sunday, September 21, 2025.
According to Sky News, the unsettled conditions are expected to follow a spell of unusually warm and humid weather, particularly in South East England, where temperatures could reach as high as 27°C (81°F) on Friday. But as the weekend progresses, the mood will shift dramatically: heavy rain is forecast to batter parts of Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, northern England, and the north and west of Wales, with up to 100mm possible in some locations. Thunderstorms are also a risk in the southeast, and coastal areas should prepare for gales.
The Met Office’s yellow warnings cover a broad area, including Wrexham, much of Wales, and northern England. The alert is in force from 9am on Saturday until 6am on Sunday, with forecasters predicting 20–40mm of rain widely, and some places potentially seeing between 60 and 100mm within just a few hours. As Wrexham.com reports, Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tom Crabtree warned, “Through this period 20–40 mm of rain is expected to fall widely, with some locations perhaps seeing 60–100 mm, with much of this total falling in just a few hours. From mid-Saturday onwards, increasingly strong gusty winds and perhaps some thunder will also accompany the rainfall, further increasing the risk of disruption.”
Residents in the warning zones have been advised to prepare for a small chance of flooding to homes and businesses, possible power cuts, and delays to road, rail, and bus services. Driving conditions could turn treacherous, with spray, standing water, and the risk of road closures. “The unsettled spell follows a period of unusually warm weather in parts of the UK, with temperatures reaching 26–27°C in the south of England,” Wrexham.com noted, highlighting the sharp contrast in conditions expected over just a couple of days.
Glasgow and much of Scotland are also in the firing line. GlasgowWorld reports that persistent heavy rain is forecast to spread northeastwards on Saturday, becoming particularly intense by evening and through the night. Rainfall totals of 20 to 40mm are expected widely, with some locations possibly seeing up to 100mm, especially overnight. The Met Office has cautioned that strong gusty winds and the risk of thunder will further increase the chance of disruption. Paul Gundersen, Met Office Chief Meteorologist, explained, “A deep area of low pressure is bringing heavy rain to Wales, Northern Ireland and western Scotland today as well as strong winds to the far north of Scotland at first. Elsewhere, low cloud and muggy conditions dominate the south.”
For those in the southeast, Friday will feel almost like a last gasp of summer. As Netweather.tv describes, “Friday afternoon could reach the mid 20s Celsius with 25 to 27C possible for Greater London, the Home Counties or East Anglia in a southwesterly breeze.” But this warmth will be fleeting. By Saturday, a new low center will develop, ushering in more rain and strengthening winds. Early yellow rain warnings have already been issued for a persistent, nearly stationary rain band stretching from the Central Belt of Scotland down into western Wales. There is “a small chance that heavy rainfall may cause some transport disruption and flooding,” according to the Met Office.
The models suggest that the heaviest rain will fall across northwest Wales, northwest England (particularly Cumbria), northeast England, and Pembrokeshire on Friday and into the night, with pulses of rain moving northeastwards. By Saturday afternoon and evening, the southern half of Scotland, parts of northern England, and Wales around the Irish Sea are expected to experience especially grim weather with rain and wind. For Wrexham, the worst of the rain is predicted for Saturday afternoon and evening before easing overnight into Sunday.
Thunderstorms could develop across South East England, while coastal areas—especially in southwest England, the Bristol Channel, Devon, Dorset, and Cornwall—should prepare for gales. The UKV forecast model, cited by Netweather.tv, shows a “vicious curl of gales around the low centre near SW England and the Bristol Channel before the weather turns more widely windy over much of the UK by Saturday evening.” The GFS and ECM models both suggest that the tip of Cornwall and the North Channel could see gales by Saturday evening, though the exact timing and location remain a bit uncertain.
With the low-pressure system moving eastwards toward the North Sea by Sunday morning, a much colder northerly flow will follow. Daytime temperatures are set to plunge, with many areas hovering around 14°C and a noticeable chill to the breeze. “It will turn colder from the North, with daytime temperatures widely below average on Sunday,” Sky News reported. There’s even a chance of snow on the highest mountain peaks of Scotland by the end of the weekend, as cooler air sweeps in from the north.
By Monday, September 22, the autumn equinox arrives, and with it, a return to drier and calmer conditions for much of the UK. However, the respite will come with a catch: it will remain on the cold side, with overnight frosts likely in some rural spots. High pressure is expected to settle things down early in the week, but the dramatic weather shift over the weekend will serve as a stark reminder of the UK’s famously fickle climate.
For now, forecasters urge residents to stay alert for further updates, as the exact track and intensity of the low-pressure system could change, potentially leading to additional weather warnings. As Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tom Crabtree put it, “We’re closely monitoring developments and may issue more warnings as the situation evolves. It’s important to stay up to date with our forecasts over the coming days.”
With the UK poised between the last warmth of summer and the first real taste of autumn, this weekend’s weather is set to be a memorable—and potentially hazardous—transition for millions across the country.
