Flooding risk as a week's rain in an hour is forecast for parts of UK

Parts of the country are at risk of localised flooding on Thursday as isolated downpours are forecast to bring over a week of rain in an hour.

North Wales, the north-west of England, Northern Ireland and western Scotland could experience significant deluges.

Elsewhere, conditions are expected to be warm and sunny, although eastern parts will have to wait for fog to burn off during the morning.

Sophie Yeomans, a Met Office forecaster, said: “The biggest risk of showers will be in those western areas where they may be quite heavy, although not as bad as we had seen in recent days.”

It was a mixed picture for Britons on Wednesday: tourists in Cambridge were pictured enjoying a sunny punt ride along the river Cam, while torrential rain and thundery showers hit other parts of the country.

In London and parts of the Midlands, flash downpours left people drenched, and images shared on social media showed roads partially flooded.

Londoners were caught in sudden downpours for the second consecutive day, with torrential rain hitting the capital in the early afternoon. On Tuesday, flash floods caused three cars to be submerged: their drivers had to be rescued, in Croydon, south London.

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While the last remnants of the wet and humid weather clear over the UK on Thursday, up to 20mm of rain could fall in isolated downpours over western parts, a third of the monthly average of 60mm. Temperatures are expected to climb up to 25C (77F) in the south-east during the day, while the temperature in most of the country will rise above 20C (68F). Some cloud will persist, although sunny spells are expected for most.

As the weekend approaches, temperatures are expected to fall, and the muggy conditions seen during the week will clear.