UK weather: British families pack out beaches as country basks in 19C sunshine - before the rain sweeps in TONIGHT

Brits head to the beaches to enjoy the sunshine as the country basks in 19C heat but rain is expected to sweep across the nation tonight. 

After a chilly start in the morning, the south west of England has enjoyed balmy weather with people making the most of the weather by heading outside. 

Large crowds of sun-worshippers have been spotted on Lyme Regis beach in Dorset, where temperatures could go as high 18C. The highest temperature of the day is expected to be on the Isle of Wight where the mercury could rise to a warm but pleasant 19C. 

Meanwhile, in London and the south east clouds means the temperature has floated around 15C.   

It is a slightly different story elsewhere in the UK. In northern England and Scotland conditions are cooler and the temperatures are hovering around the low to mid teens. 

The summery weather will not last unfortunately as rain currently pouring down on Northern Ireland will move across to Great Britain. The damp conditions will then last throughout tomorrow. 

Thankfully the rain will pass quite quickly leading to cooler but drier weather for the rest of the working week. 

For today's forecast the Met Office said: 'There will be plenty of showers around particularly across parts of Scotland and northern England. This will slowly push its way south and eastwards through the rest of the day. 

'The best sunshine will be in southern england this afternoon.' 

Looking ahead, the forecaster said: The northerly flow through the start of the week will bring plenty of showers with high pressure out in the Atlantic for the later half of the week.'

Last week, after a damp May, June got off to a balmy start with temperatures reaching as high as 24C in some parts. 

Those Brits hoping for a heatwave might be in for a disappoint as rain are expected later on in the week.

The Met Office have also reportedly prepared the government for an extremely soggy weather.

Between the start of June and the end of August, they estimate wet weather will be 50 per cent more likely than average.

The bleak forecast threatens to interrupt a number of summer events, including Wimbledon and Glastonbury. If predictions are correct, it could be the dampest summer since 1912 - when rain fell on 55 days across the summer season.

The Met Office long-range forecast said: 'The chances of a wetter-than-average period are higher than a drier-than-average one.

'Rainfall at this time of year has a greater risk of localised heavy downpours and thunderstorms.'

Low pressure systems have been blamed by forecasters as the reason for the wet summer.

It comes after the Met Office revealed April was the sixth wettest since records dating to 1836.