The Met Office has debunked a legend that predicts 40 days of continuous rain.
According to traditional folklore, on St Swithin’s Day, July 15, what the weather is like today will continue for the next 40 days and 40 nights.
However, since the start of records in 1861, the Met Office has said there has never been a record of 40 dry or 40 wet days in a row following St Swithin’s Day.
A yellow weather warning for rain has been in place and is expected to last over a large portion of England and Scotland until 9am tomorrow. However, it is forecast to be dry on Wednesday, drier and brighter in the south and east and turning warm as the week progresses.
The St Swithun's proverb embroidered onto a cloth
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The legend dates back to an ancient nursery rhyme: "St Swithin’s Day, if it does rain. Full forty days, it will remain St Swithin’s Day, if it be fair. For forty days, t’will rain no more."
St Swithin was a monk who died around 862AD and, according to legend, he requested his burial in the churchyard of the Old Minster (cathedral) at Winchester, in a spot where "the sweet rain from heaven might wet his grave."
The legend says that when his remains were moved inside the cathedral on July 15, his spirit was supposedly so angered that it rained for the next forty days.
However, since the start of records in 1861, there has never been a record of 40 dry or 40 wet days in a row following St Swithin’s Day.
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Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire
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It comes as outbreaks of rain already affecting southwest England will move northwards across Wales throughout Monday. Around 15 to 20mm of rain could fall in less than an hour, while some areas could see up to 40mm in two hours.
A Met Office spokesperson said: "Outbreaks of rain, heavy at times with a risk of thunder, are expected to develop later on Monday afternoon then move northwards through the evening and overnight.
"Fifteen to 20 mm rain may fall in less than an hour, with a few places seeing up to 40 mm in two hours but perhaps more widely within a longer period overnight.
"Where this occurs, there is the chance of some flooding and disruption."
Fans of the Netflix series One Day will be familiar with the St Swithin’s Day legend.
Based on a book written by David Nicholls, the series follows the story of friends Dexter and Emma who meet every year on or around the time of St Swithin’s Day across several decades.
Every year they meet on St Swithin’s Day and it doesn’t rain, symbolising that the two have each other and that the next 40 days will be clear of rain.