UK weather: Temperatures to fall as record-breaking heatwave comes to an end

Temperatures will drop across much of the UK over the weekend, as a record-breaking heatwave gives way to cloudy skies and rain, the Met Office has said.

Though the warm weather will persist on Saturday for some areas especially in the South East, other parts of Britain will see a return to milder conditions.

The Met Office predicted that London would reach 30C (86F) on Saturday afternoon, with Cambridge expected to hit 29C (84.2F) and Reading to peak at 28C (82.4F).

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Scotland and Northern Ireland will have a mostly cloudy day on Saturday with showers moving in later in the afternoon, though England and Wales will be dry with some sunshine and warm spells.

On Sunday, fresher Atlantic air will move in bringing cloud and showery rain from the west, causing temperatures to fall to the low 20s at their peak.

The change will bring unsettled conditions as the start of meteorological summer arrives on Monday, with cooler temperatures persisting into next week.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said next week will bring "a change from the heatwave" as temperatures become closer to average for the time of year.

"It's been quite a dry period of weather and hot period of weather, so it will be probably much needed and much welcome rain to gardeners and growers and farmers with the ground being so dry at the moment," he said.

"So it is a change, but probably a welcome change for those who either don't like the heat or want some rain."

The Met Office has predicted heavy showers with possible thunder on Tuesday, with more rain to follow later in the week.

Low pressure systems will continue to blow in from the Atlantic from Wednesday to the end of the week, bringing more rain, with the south and east of the country most likely to stay drier.

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Mr Dewhurst said there were good signs the warm weather would return later in June, after an "unsettled" start to the month.

"Particularly (during) the middle to second half of June, it looks like it starts settling down with higher pressure a bit more dominant again, so an unsettled start to meteorological summer, but there are signs that it does settle down as the month goes on."

The recent heatwave saw temperatures soar well over 30C (86F) in parts of the UK, with England and Wales on Tuesday recording the hottest days in May on record.

Temperatures soared to 35.1C (95.1F) in Kew Gardens, west London, while temperatures in Cardiff's Bute Park reached 32.9C (91.2F), according to the Met Office.

Charlie Noble, 16, became the 12th person to die in a water-related incident over the course of the heatwave, after his body was recovered in Stirlingshire, Scotland, on Thursday.

There have been deaths in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Pembrokeshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire.

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