UK weather forecast – Destructive Tropical Storm Alex trails to whip Britain with wild 55mph winds & heavy downpours

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.

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.

"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.