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TROPICAL Storm Alex will lash Britain with 55mph winds and heavy downpours this week as the tempest blasts across the Atlantic.

Storms will batter the country amid a miserably soggy start to the summer, with forecasters warning of floods and gales.

Commuters at London Bridge adorn their raincoats and umbrellas to face their Monday journeys
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Commuters at London Bridge adorn their raincoats and umbrellas to face their Monday journeysCredit: LNP
Londoners shelter in a closed underground station out of the rain
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Londoners shelter in a closed underground station out of the rainCredit: LNP

From Tuesday evening, showers will douse the south west of England and southern Scotland and Ireland.

The poor weather will continue into Wednesday before thundery downpours strike the north.

It follows a balmy mini-heatwave for the long Jubilee weekend.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Adam Thornhill has urged Brits to brace for a very gloomy forecast.

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";The low pressure on Wednesday will bring showers to most areas of the UK," he said.

"The heaviest, slow-moving downpours are expected in northern areas, including Northern Ireland, with a chance of associated thunder and lightning.

"Although rainfall amounts are still open to some uncertainty, there's a chance some areas in the north could see in excess of 20mm of rain within a three-hour period.

"This will largely break up later in the day on Wednesday, leaving behind just a few showers by the late evening."

The wake of Storm Alex, which has battered southern Florida with more than five inches of rain, will then arrive on Thursday and Friday.

Strong winds and downpours are on the way as the tempest blows in.

Mr Thornhill said: "The track of the former storm currently looks to be grazing the far north-west of the UK on Thursday and Friday.

"Although the details are still being worked out, winds could be around 45mph for most in the north of the UK.

"There's also a chance of some gusts in excess of 55mph in some exposed north-western island and coastal areas."

A yellow weather warning was issued yesterday to alert Brits to possible flooding, travel disruption and power cuts.

And the forecast for the week will dampen spirits everywhere as Brits wallow in the post-bank holiday blues.

Although sunny spells might break through the showers, the weather will likely be bleak for days to come.

Wednesday is set to be the wettest day of the week, with a chance of heavy rain and wind in the north.

A has been issued for Bourne Brook in Tamworth.

Forecaster Steven Keates told : "Over the next few days the weather will be unsettled, changeable and perhaps unremarkable for the most part, a bit disappointing for the second week of June.

'DISAPPOINTING'

"Showers should hit parts of England to start the week, with the worst on Wednesday, before a more dramatic end to the week as heavy gales move in.

"From the middle of the week a new low-pressure front will begin pushing from the south-west, bringing a mixture of rain and thunderstorms in Northern Ireland and northern England.

"Wednesday will be the wettest day of the week, but areas in Scotland and parts of southern England should remain dry.

"However, Scotland's week of charming weather will begin to fizz out, as the vigorous low pressure front moves north from Thursday, with heavy gales expected in western areas."

Meanwhile, millions of "fed up" Londoners have faced Tube strike chaos as they return to work after the four-day bonanza.

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There is set to be severe disruption across the London Underground until 8am on Tuesday.

Up to 4,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have walked off the job in a bitter row over jobs and pensions.

Cars queued on the motorway in the drizzle
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Cars queued on the motorway in the drizzleCredit: LNP
Sodden commuters realised tube strikes would dampen their day even further
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Sodden commuters realised tube strikes would dampen their day even furtherCredit: LNP
Commuters queued in the rain for busy buses
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Commuters queued in the rain for busy busesCredit: Belinda Jiao
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