Scotland to suffer extreme rainfall as southern UK basks in late summer blast

Rail passengers are being warned of cancelled services and reduced train speeds.

Southern parts of the UK are set to bask in a late blast of summer this weekend while Scotland and northern parts of England are forecast to suffer extreme rainfall and flooding that could pose a “danger to life”.

Rail passengers are being warned of cancelled services and reduced train speeds as operators prepare for the expected disruption.

Northern and southern parts of the UK will continue to see a contrast in weather this weekend, with high temperatures and torrential rainfall affecting different areas.

The Met Office has issued both amber and yellow rain warnings for large parts of Scotland and northern England from Saturday to Sunday morning.

Fine and dry weather in southern and central England, meanwhile, could see temperatures rise as high as 25C by Sunday afternoon.

Rail services being cancelled on Saturday include London North Eastern Railway (LNER) trains north of Newcastle as well as several routes across Scotland.

Avanti West Coast also advised customers between Scotland and Preston not to travel, and confirmed there would be no services running north of the latter.

Transpennine Express services between Manchester, Liverpool, Preston to Carlisle and Glasgow and Edinburgh are also affected.

Network Rail Scotland posted on X, formerly Twitter: “A month’s worth of rain is expected today, likely leading to widespread flooding across Scotland.

“With this in mind, we’re limiting train speeds on almost all routes to protect passengers, staff and the railway. Check your journey before travelling.”

A LNER spokesman said: “Customers are advised not to travel north of Newcastle.”

Oli Claydon, spokesman for the Met Office, said: “(It will be) dry for pretty much everyone in the southern half of the country and unseasonably warm temperatures as well.

“As we get into the very far north of England and into Scotland that’s where the difference starts, with some persistent and heavy rain across Scotland and mostly notably in western Scotland, where we’re likely to see the highest totals.”

A yellow rain warning covering much of Scotland, active from midnight on Saturday to 6am on Sunday, could bring rainfall of 50-75mm in low-lying areas and close to 100mm on higher ground.

The Met Office warns this could lead to homes and businesses.

Being flooded with fast-flowing floodwater that could be a danger to life with some areas being cut off by flooded roads and suffering power cuts.

Within that is a separate amber warning covering Central Scotland, Tayside and Fife from 3am on Saturday to 6am the following day.

The Met Office said this area could see as much as 150-180mm of rainfall accumulating in the wettest spots with many areas suffering heavy rain already overnight.

Scotland’s Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s important people plan their journeys before they set off.

“Motorists should make sure their routes are available, follow the travel advice from Police Scotland and drive in accordance with the conditions.

“If you are planning to travel by train, ferry or plane, please check with your operators to see if the conditions are having any impact on your services.”