The Met Office has forecast a 30pc chance of rain in Weybourne, near Sheringham from 6pm today, with the likelihood increasing to 50pc by midnight and 60pc by the early hours of Friday, with similar predictions in place for other areas of Norfolk. The news will bring relief to villagers, who have seen just 218mm (8.5ins) of the wet stuff all year making their coastal hamlet the third-driest spot in the UK, behind Cambridge (196.4mm) and Shoeburyness in Essex (216.2mm). A couple walk along the parched coast path at Weybourne (Image: Chris Bishop)Despite the promise of brief rainfall before things turn dry again, the lengthy arid spell has already left its mark. Weybourne’s normally green fields have faded to yellow behind its shingle beachfront, allotment holders have struggled to keep their crops alive and even the local heritage railway has had to be extra careful its steam trains don't spark fires along the line. Nearby Cromer has also made the UK's driest list after just 226mm of rain, followed by Marham, near King’s Lynn (226.8mm), Lingwood, near Norwich (229.6mm), and Tibenham in the south of the county (238.2mm).