Heavy rain is due to sweep across large parts of the UK this weekend, with many at risk of flooding. A new band of “heavy and thundery rain” will arrive on the south coast on Saturday and move northwards overnight, affecting central and southern England and Wales, the Met Office said. While no weather warnings were in place on Saturday morning, more could be issued after several earlier this week, the forecaster said. Earlier heavy rain lashed southern England and Wales on Thursday and Friday. As of Saturday morning, one flood warning remained in place in Ilston, south Wales, with two flood alerts also issued in the region. The Environment Agency still had two flood alerts in place in south-west England, including in populated areas around the Lower Avon River. It added that much of southern and central England was at low risk of flooding affecting properties and causing travel disruption. The Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris said: “Reminiscent of this time last week, the forecast for later this weekend comes with larger uncertainties than average. “This is due to a more complex than usual meteorological pattern involving multiple corridors of heavy, locally thundery rain revolving around a slow-moving area of low pressure. “We are keeping warnings under review, and will look to issue them over the weekend as confidence increases, so please keep up to date with our latest forecasts and warnings.” An initial band of cloud and patchy rain will scatter across England and Wales on Saturday before a further band of heavy and thundery rain arrives in the far south later in the day, the Met Office said. Lengthy sunny and dry spells are still expected farther north in a continuation of recent days, but conditions will be turning cloudier and more mild. The showers will continue to move northwards into Sunday, when spells of heavy rain will affect many central and southern areas. Cooler, fresher temperatures are widely expected across the country into next week with a generally unsettled outlook, the forecaster added.