Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to sweep across the UK, with warnings of flash flooding and travel disruption in place.
A Met Office yellow thunderstorm warning is in place across northern England and north Wales on Thursday.
The wet weather is then expected to push south and east, bringing downpours to parts of Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia and southern England.
Some areas could see torrential rain, hail and lightning as temperatures also take a noticeable dip.
Drivers have been warned to take extra care, with flooded roads and slippery surfaces among the hazards.
This comes after several weeks of hot, dry weather in the UK following its fifth heatwave of the year.
Northern England and north Wales are expected to bear the brunt of the thunderstorms on Thursday morning, with the yellow warning in place until 10am.
Between 15mm and 20mm of rain could fall in just an hour, while some places could see as much as 30mm to 50mm over six hours.
Flash flooding is also possible due to the hardness of the ground, with lightning and hail expected to cause further disruption.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to see showers, although they are expected to be less intense and less likely to bring thunder.
The return of rain after such a prolonged dry spell could also create dangerous conditions for motorists.
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said oil, fuel and rubber deposits that have built up on roads could make surfaces greasy when mixed with rain.
He said: ‘Oil, fuel and rubber deposits that have built up over many weeks will now have been mixed together by the light rain, instead of being washed away, which means drivers are at greater risk of skidding on greasy roads.’
Motorists are being urged to slow down, leave more space between vehicles and avoid driving through floodwater where possible.
Despite the expected rain, experts have warned that the drought affecting large parts of the UK will not disappear overnight.
A sustained period of rainfall will be needed to replenish drier areas.
Meanwhile, incoming storms will also mark a significant change in temperatures.
Thursday could be the first day since June 29 that temperatures fail to reach 25C anywhere in the country.
Friday is expected to feel cooler still, with temperatures widely below the August average.
Overnight temperatures could drop into single figures, with parts of Scotland and northern England potentially falling as low as 3C or 4C.
