Thunderstorm warnings cover half of UK days after mini heatwave hits country

11 May 2024 , 09:20

1115     0

Thunderstorm warnings cover half of UK days after mini heatwave hits country

Most of the country will endure heavy downpours and thunderstorms on Sunday - after several days of sweltering sunshine.

The Met Office has issued several yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms across Sunday and Monday. The end to our glorious weather will be abrupt, as temperatures are likely to exceed 24C again today - but fall as downpours hit tomorrow.

The worst of the weather is expected to be in western and central areas on Sunday afternoon, with storms thought to be so severe power cuts could happen. Some of the weather warnings are in place until 4am on Monday, the Met Office says.

The band of low pressure is moving in from the west and, after buffeting Wales and central England, it'll work its way northwards. Scotland, notably in and around Glasgow, looks susceptible to severe thunderstorms by 10pm on Sunday night. Heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms may develop across western Northern Ireland during Sunday daytime.

Heavy rain is expected in western areas, notably across south Wales, on Sunday (Getty Images)

The Met Office website reads: "Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to break out late Sunday morning and early Sunday afternoon, moving steadily north whilst growing into larger areas of rain before clearing the area.

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"Some intense downpours are possible in a few places, giving up to 30 mm in less than hour and perhaps 40-50 mm over two to three hours leading to surface water flooding. Hail, frequent lightning strikes and strong wind gusts will be additional localised hazards."

What to Expect

• Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
• Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services
• There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost
• There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life, particularly in places such as road and railway underpasses.
• There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds

Large swathes of the country are subject to the weather warning on Sunday

Regions and local authorities affected:

East Midlands

• Derby
• Derbyshire
• Leicester
• Leicestershire
• Northamptonshire
• Nottingham
• Nottinghamshire

London & South East England

• Buckinghamshire
• Hampshire
• Oxfordshire
• Reading
• Southampton
• West Berkshire
• Windsor and Maidenhead
• Wokingham

North West England

• Blackburn with Darwen
• Blackpool
• Cheshire East
• Cheshire West and Chester
• Cumbria
• Greater Manchester
• Halton
• Lancashire
• Merseyside
• Warrington

South West England

• Bath and North East Somerset
• Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
• Bristol
• Devon
• Dorset
• Gloucestershire
• North Somerset
• Somerset
• South Gloucestershire
• Swindon
• Torbay
• Wiltshire

Wales

• Blaenau Gwent
• Bridgend
• Caerphilly
• Cardiff
• Carmarthenshire
• Ceredigion
• Conwy
• Denbighshire
• Flintshire
• Gwynedd
• Isle of Anglesey
• Merthyr Tydfil
• Monmouthshire
• Neath Port Talbot
• Newport
• Powys
• Rhondda Cynon Taf
• Swansea
• Torfaen
• Vale of Glamorgan
• Wrexham

West Midlands

• Herefordshire
• Shropshire
• Staffordshire
• Stoke-on-Trent
• Telford and Wrekin
• Warwickshire
• West Midlands Conurbation
• Worcestershire

Yorkshire & Humber

• North Yorkshire
• South Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire

Central, Tayside & Fife

• Clackmannanshire
• Falkirk
• Fife
• Perth and Kinross
• Stirling

Highlands & Eilean Siar

• Eilean Siar
• Highland

North West England

• Cumbria

SW Scotland, Lothian Borders

• Dumfries and Galloway
• West Lothian

Strathclyde

• Argyll and Bute
• East Ayrshire
• East Dunbartonshire
• East Renfrewshire
• Glasgow
• Inverclyde
• North Ayrshire
• North Lanarkshire
• Renfrewshire
• South Ayrshire
• South Lanarkshire
• West Dunbartonshire

Northern Ireland

• County Armagh
• County Fermanagh
• County Londonderry
• County Tyrone

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