Thunderstorms with heavy rain and strong winds are set to hit parts of Britain before the country is split by a east/west weather divide this weekend.

Wet and windy conditions are expected in the west and southwest on Friday with showers that will be heavy and thundery at times, the Met Office said.

Wind gusts of 50mph are possible as bands of rain hit Devon and Cornwall in England, and parts of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

Temperatures will struggle to climb above 10C with the rest of the country in store for mainly dry and bright weather that will only be a few degrees warmer.

The UK’s warmest temperature on Friday could be just 14C.

The Met Office said it will be a wet and windy day across the west and southwest, with spells of heavy rain and occasional thunder.

Other regions will see mainly dry and bright weather that will be less cold.

Light rain is expected in the far northeast.

UV and pollen levels will be low to moderate, although high tree pollen levels are likely over the weekend in Wales.

Overnight, showers will be restricted to the far southwest.

But mist and low cloud will move in from the North Sea, bringing rain in the east later, the Met Office said.

There will be a east/west split on Saturday.

The east will see cloudy and cold conditions along with rain as the west enjoys warm spells of sunshine in the west.

From Sunday and into Monday, brighter and warmer weather is expected but thunderstorms are likely across eastern and southern areas.

It will turn colder from the north on Tuesday with rain in parts of southwest, central and eastern England, and showers in the north for a time.

Met Office five-day weather forecast

Friday

Wet and in places windy across the west and southwest, with some heavy spells of rain, perhaps with occasional thunder.

Elsewhere, mainly dry, bright and not as cold, but some light rain in the far northeast.

Friday night

Showers will become confined to the far southwest overnight, with many becoming dry.

Mist and low cloud will spread in from the North Sea, bringing rain in the east later.

Saturday

A west/east split on Saturday.

Generally fine in the west with warm spells of sunshine.

Cloudy and cold in the east with outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

Sunday to Tuesday

Changeable with some brighter and warmer weather, but also areas of low cloud and heavy thundery showers, especially across eastern and some southern areas.

Colder from the north on Tuesday.