Yellow weather warning for rain in parts of Scotland as summer 'officially ends'

Parts of Scotland are set to battered by heavy rain and stormy weather this weekend as summer “officially ends” across the country.

The Met Office has imposed a yellow weather warning as they predicted up to four inches of rain could fall in a matter of hours alongside the risk of thunder, lightning and volatile conditions on Saturday.

Downpours are expected in the south west, where the alert is to remain in place from midnight until 11.59pm, but further inclement conditions are expected into Sunday.

Experts have said it will bring an end to one of the hottest Scottish summers on record after temperatures reached 35C for the first time.

The forecast states: “Areas of heavy rain are expected to pulse northwards across much of Northern Ireland and the south west of Scotland through Saturday, potentially accompanied by thunderstorms.

“Rainfall totals of 30 to 40mm could fall in two to three hours in some places with a low risk of 80 to 100mm in 24 hours, bringing localised flooding and travel disruption.”

Insight Philip Petrie STV weather presenter

“Enjoy and make the most of the weather today, as it seems to be the last day of summer – and not just figuratively but literally too as today marks the first day of meteorological autumn.

“There’s a definite change on the way, as if the seasons knew, and this upcoming weekend is looking changeable, unsettled and considerably wetter and windier than the past few days.

“For much of this week our weather has been dominated by high pressure, but over the next 24 hours we will see the replacement of that high with a large area of low pressure. High pressure = good weather, low pressure = bad weather.

“Unfortunately we will see a continuation of several bands of heavy rain spiralling around the low pressure, meaning that over the weekend for central and southern areas in particular, we will have constant bands of rain.

“There’s also tightly packed isobars around the low pressure at times, so it will be windy for many through Saturday and Sunday. The Met Office have been keeping an eye on this low for much of this week, and this morning have issued a yellow weather warning for rain affecting parts of Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute and Dumfries and Galloway.

“The warning comes into affect midnight Saturday morning and lasts throughout the entire day, forecasting that some areas have the potential of thunderstorms, and rainfall totals of between 30 to 40mm in two to three hours as the large areas of heavy rain pulse northwards through the day.

“Summer has well and truly come to and end with a bang this week unfortunately, and things look set to stay changeable, unsettled, wet and windy well into next week.”