The UK is bracing for a significant shift in weather as the Met Office forecasts heavy rain on Saturday, signaling the end of a prolonged heatwave. Areas particularly affected include Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, most of Northern Ireland, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire. Rainfall could reach up to 20mm in parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland. While the southeast is expected to remain mostly dry until Sunday, the northwest will face the brunt of the downpours. Temperatures, which soared above 35°C during the heatwave, will begin to normalize as a weak cold front moves across the country. Chief forecaster Chris Bulmer noted that after a brief respite with highs of 32°C in the southeast, fresher conditions will prevail into the weekend. The unsettled weather is likely to persist into next week, with showers and thunderstorms possible, returning temperatures to seasonal norms.