When will it rain in Basingstoke again? Met Office forecast

The town has endured a prolonged spell of sunshine and below-average rainfall, with Southern Water reporting the driest spring in over a century and the warmest June on record putting the region's rivers under serious strain.

The last day Basingstoke recorded significant, widespread rainfall, was June 22, according to flood radar.

July was also one of the driest months on record, adding to concerns over water supplies across Hampshire.

Rain in Basingstoke (Image: NQ)

A hosepipe ban was introduced by Southern Water on Friday, July 10, to protect water supplies and the River Test after months of dry weather, affecting around a million customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

But the weather looks set to change this week, with the Met Office forecasting several days of showers for Basingstoke. The forecast is accurate at the time of writing, but is subject to change.

The first signs of change are already underway on Monday, August 17, with the Met Office's headline outlook for the wider South East region describing "mostly dry" conditions with "spells of warm sunshine" during the day, but rain moving in overnight, potentially heavy in places.

Further showers are possible on Tuesday, August 18, with a cloudy and wet start to the day as overnight rain clears southwards during the morning, giving way to drier, brighter conditions with hazy sunshine in the afternoon. The Met Office's hour-by-hour data for Basingstoke shows the chance of rain building steadily through Monday night, reaching 70 per cent by the early hours of Tuesday.

The likelihood of wet weather increases further into midweek. By Wednesday, August 19, the chance of rain in Basingstoke peaks at around 70 per cent first thing in the morning, easing slightly before rising again to 40 per cent by mid-afternoon and evening, as unsettled conditions continue.

The wettest day is currently forecast to be Thursday, August 20, with the Met Office predicting a 50 per cent chance of rain through much of the afternoon and evening, following on from lighter showers earlier in the day. The outlook for the rest of the week points to further sunny spells and showers, with some heavy downpours and a risk of hail and thunder, according to the wider regional forecast.