Met Office thunderstorm asthma warning with exact date Brits should stay inside

11 May 2024 , 04:00

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Brits with asthma have been advised to stay indoors as the country is set for stormy weather (Image: PA)

The UK's short-lived heatwave will be interrupted by a series of thunderstorms which may trigger asthma in some people, the Met Office says.

Warm and settled conditions are expected to subside later this weekend, with thunderstorms likely in some parts of the country from Sunday. Although areas of the UK will see highs of 27°C, the Met Office have issued two yellow thunderstorm warnings for Sunday, covering a large part of England and Wales from 12pm until 9pm, and parts of Northern Ireland from 11am until 7pm.

It will be followed by heavy showers and thunder throughout the rest of May – with bouts of rain expected to last as long as two weeks. The Met Office warned that the upcoming thunderstorms can in some cases trigger asthma and cause asthma attacks, with symptoms including breathlessness, wheezing and coughing worsened by the wind.

The Met Office have issued two yellow thunderstorm warnings for Sunday (Met Office)

Asthma and Lung UK have advised Brits with asthma to protect themselves by:

• Continuing to manage asthma well
• Staying indoors before, during and after thunderstorms
• Keeping windows closed
• If you have to go outside, you can wear a mask outside to protect yourself against pollen grains
• if you have hay fever, you can take hay fever medicines to help protect yourself against pollen
• Keep your reliever inhaler with you so it can be used to quickly treat asthma symptoms in an emergency

It comes as the UK finds itself in the midst of a mini heatwave, with temperatures set to soar to 27C this weekend - hotter than the Mediterranean party island of Ibiza. Those hoping to bask in the sun in the coming weeks could now face a deluge, with unpredictable temperatures ahead.

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The Met Office said Sunday will bring heavy showers for many parts of Britain, including London, Southampton, Birmingham, Plymouth, and Cardiff. But the rain will then move north the following day, impacting Manchester, Newcastle and parts of Scotland. According to weather maps, rainy spells are not expected to stop until May 25 – meaning wet weather for many parts of the UK for the next two weeks.

Temperatures during this period are expected to fluctuate. The Met Office warned of "low pressure" bringing "unsettled conditions" throughout the rest of May, but according to the forecaster, East Anglia, London and the Midlands will see the best of the weather this weekend. Temperatures in these areas will peak at 25C on Sunday, while in the north, Liverpool, Glasgow and Newcastle could see highs of around 22C, the charts predict.

According to this weekend's forecast, the majority of Brits will enjoy "fine and dry" weather. For the period between Friday, May 10 and Sunday, May 19, "there is a strong signal for high pressure across the UK at the start of this period, bringing a good deal of fine and dry weather for most areas, though with patchy mist and fog in places each morning."

The forecast continues: "Northwestern parts of the UK are likely to be the exception to this, with more in the way of cloud and rain at times here. The high is likely to maintain its influence into the weekend before starting to weaken during the following week."

Zahra Khaliq