UK weather: Britain deluged by rainstorms as forecasters predict a wash-out half term Britain hit with torrential rain this morning following bank holiday sunshine Forecasters warn up to 20mm of rain could fall in parts of Britain today Showers are expected across parts of the country for most of the week The bank holiday weekend may have been awash with glorious sunshine, but the rest of the half term looks like its going to be more of a wash out. Much of Britain has been hit with torrential downpours today, dampening the spirits of those going back to work after enjoying the bank holiday sun and delaying the start of the last day of the second test at Headingley between England and New Zealand. And for those who were looking forward to a sunny half term, the outlook does not look great, with forecasters predicting showers and longer spells of rain for large parts of the country throughout the week. Large parts of Britain have been hit with torrential downpours this morning and the rain is set to continue for much of the week A family stroll along the promenade at a rain-soaked Southsea, in Hampshire Mounted guards from the Household Cavalry (left) brave the rain while a woman carries an umbrella which has been blown inside (right) out on Westminster Bridge, London Meteogroup forecaster John Lee said the heaviest rain had fallen over central and southern parts of England, while 10mm of rain had fallen in parts of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire overnight. He said: 'It's looking fairly cloudy and wet today and also quite a few degrees colder than it has been over the bank holiday weekend, so in general it is much more unsettled today with rain for many areas. It is probably central and southern England and parts of the Midlands which have seen the most rain. 'Looking ahead at the rest of the day, it's quite windy across the Midlands and the south which could see a further ten to 15mms of rain. 'It's not quite so wet elsewhere, I think northern Scotland and Northern Ireland are getting away with a mostly dry day today and in terms of sunshine, it's probably quite bright up there as well.' The Met Office however has predicted a further 20mm of rain could fall in the Midlands and parts of Wales, while East Anglia, Lincolnshire and the north east of England could see up to 25mm of rain tonight. Grey skies and heavy rain dampens the spirits after the sunny bank holiday weekend in London The worst of the weather has been over central and southern parts of England. Picture taken in Piccadilly, central London A couple shelter under 'I Love London' umbrellas on Westminster Bridge Members of the public take cover from the rain in Piccadilly (right) while Londoners and tourists battle through wet weather as heavy rain falls elsewhere in central London An elderly woman shelters underneath her umbrella during heavy rainfall in Paddington Green, central London Shoppers in Oxford Street, London, refuse to be put off by the rain today Tomorrow however, it is expected to remain largely dry, with sunny periods, over north-west Scotland and Northern Ireland, although it will still be unsettled elsewhere with showers and longer spells of rain. Mr Lee said: 'Tomorrow is a fairly similar prospect with more rain in places. The actual position of the rain is fairly uncertain at the moment, but in general it looks like eastern areas will be having the heaviest of the rain. Yet again, north west Scotland and northern Ireland are looking mostly dry. There could also be the odd rumble of thunder in among any of the heavy showers. Showers are expected for much of the half term this week, although forecasters are hoping things will clear up a little by the end of the week Large parts of Britain have been hit with torrential downpours this morning and forecasters are predicting rain for much of this week's half term A man walks in the rain on Westminster Bridge (left) while two men in suits take cover from the rain in Piccadilly, central London, (right) this afternoon A couple wear Union flag decorated waterproofs during a rainstorm near Westminster in London Looking further ahead, Thursday is looking like it is going to be a brighter day with scattered showers for England and Wales. Again, Scotland and Northern Ireland look like they will stay quite dry. Mr Lee said: 'It looks quite promising towards the end of the week that most of the UK will be dry on Friday so, fingers-crossed, that will lead into a fairly decent weekend.' Meanwhile, scientists at the Marine Conservation Society have said one of the most eagerly awaited visitors to the British shores may have been deterred by the long, chilly spring. The scientists have said they have barely had any sightings of basking sharks so far in 2013, in contrast to a bumper crop last year. A couple, armed with umbrellas, walk along Brighton's promenade in the rain today A car drives through a large puddle which has built up in a road in Brighton, Sussex Umbrellas are the order of the day as the rain falls in Brighton The covers are on at Headingley cricket ground, in Leeds, which is likely to delay the final day's play in the second test cricket match between England and New Zealand Jean-Luc Solandt, the organisation's senior bio- diversity officer, said he believed it was because the water temperature is lower than usual for the time of year. Despite the fact that the gentle giants of the sea can grow to the size of a double decker bus, they are still prone to feel the cold and even a few degrees can make a difference to their habits, he said. Divers are telling us that the water temperature is 10 or 11 degrees centigrade. But at this time of the year it should be nearer 13 degrees,' said Dr Solandt. This means that the plankton, which is the basking sharks favourite food and the reason they come to our waters, are not blooming in the usual quantities so basking sharks are staying in warmer seas to feed. After a six year wait, Britain's longest wisteria has finally burst into bloom. It took fifteen years to train the vine to grow along the full length of a giant garden wall in Essex Judith Wilson admires the giant wisteria near Witham in Essex