Some areas of the UK could face heavy rain this week, according to the latest weather maps. As weather conditions continue to be changeable, the north of the UK could be hit by showers on Friday (31 July). The most affected areas are likely to be Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the north east of England, the latest Met Office maps show.

The forecaster said the weather this week is “turning fresh, with showers in the north” while still remaining “drier further south”.

The Met Office outlook from Friday to Sunday reads: “Friday and the weekend will hold onto a fresher feel. There will be a lot of dry weather with some sunny spells, though one or two showers are also possible.”

This forecast comes as some parts of the UK face the year’s fourth heatwave this week with its peak on Wednesday, with temperatures soaring to as high as 35C.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) put in place an amber heat-health alert covering the East Midlands, the East, South East and London and issued an alert that will be in place until Thursday.

Drought was formally declared in seven areas of central, eastern and southern England on Wednesday. They include East Anglia,

Hertfordshire and the whole of London, Thames Valley, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Devon & Cornwall, West Midlands, and Wessex (covering Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire).

July saw just 7% of the expected levels of rainfall, with just 1% across southern England. Helen Wakeham, director of water at the Environment Agency and chair of the National Drought Group, said: “The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it.

“A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife, and the economy.

“We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated during the hot weather but every drop we can save is a drop more for nature and agriculture.”

This week, however, temperatures are set to plummet. A chill is set to spread across much of the country on Sunday (August 2) morning, with 204 council areas in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland set to see temperatures drop into single-figures celsius.