For the last couple of weeks we've had quite a bit of rain along with some strong winds and thurnder and lightning - but it could soon be set to change. 

We've had rain this week and for the short term at least that doesn't look set to change. 

This month could be one of the wettest Mays on record, surpassing 1967, when 131.7mm of rain fell across the UK.

Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said that while it was too early to predict if May will break any records, it had already been a “wetter than average month”, with 70mm of rainfall in UK up to Monday.

Read more >>> More rain on the way for Essex 

He added: “We have had a wetter than average May, we can safely say that.

“It’s certainly going to end up being quite a wet month.”

This time last year sun seekers were catching rays on Southend beaches as the temperatures hit 25C. 

And according to latest forecasts we could be just a couple of weeks away from some better weather. 

Forecaster AccuWeather says by the beginning of June temperatures in Essex will have reached 17C but we can still expect cloudy conditions and some rain. 

By the second week of the month temperatures will have risen to around 22C to 23C. 

There will be more sunshine but still some cloudy days and the odd spell of rain. 

Why has the weather in May been so rainy and cold?

According to the Met Office May so far has been cool across the board, with maximum temperatures, minimum temperatures and mean temperatures all currently at least 2°C lower than their long-term May average for every country in the UK.  

Dr Mark McCarthy, Scientific Manager of the National Climate Information Centre, said: “Although it’s not unusual to see some downpours and cooler temperatures in May, the month so far has been particularly unsettled across the UK as the influence of low pressure systems has taken hold. 

“May picked up where April ended with cooler temperatures and unsettled weather for many, especially in northern England and Wales.

"It’s far too early in the month to talk about any potential records being set, but with rain in the current forecast, it seems likely that we’ll see above average rainfall across large parts of the country by the end of the month.”