A thunderstorm warning has been issued for a large portion of England and Wales, bringing the potential threat of “frequent lightning strikes and hail.”
The Met Office has placed a yellow thunderstorm warning in effect from 4am to 9pm on Sunday. This alert spans a wide area, reaching from the Isle of Wight up to the Scottish border. Western regions of Wales, including Cardiff, are also expected to be impacted by the severe weather conditions.
The Met Office has indicated that Saturday evening may see “a few showers and isolated thunderstorms,” but the situation is expected to escalate by Sunday morning. There is a growing likelihood of more intense and widespread heavy showers and thunderstorms moving into or developing across southern England, leading to potentially hazardous conditions.
The warning suggests that the risk of thunderstorms will gradually move northwards throughout Sunday afternoon and into the early evening. Although the exact reach of these storms remains uncertain, the Met Office has cautioned that many areas might escape them entirely.
However, in locations where the thunderstorms do hit, the rainfall could be substantial, with some areas potentially seeing 30 to 40mm of rain in under an hour. In a few isolated spots, rainfall could exceed 75mm, which raises the risk of flooding and could lead to significant disruption to daily activities and travel.
Beyond the heavy rainfall, these storms are expected to bring additional hazards, including “frequent lightning strikes and hail.” These risks are most likely to affect southern and central England, making it essential for residents in these areas to stay alert.
While much of England and Wales braces for these potentially severe conditions, the Met Office has also provided some hope for more favorable weather in other regions. The far northwest of England is expected to experience drier and brighter conditions, offering some respite from the stormy weather.
In contrast, the southeast is anticipated to be warm and humid, with temperatures possibly soaring as high as 30°C. This mix of severe thunderstorms and high temperatures underscores the variability of the weather expected over the weekend, urging the public to stay prepared for rapidly changing conditions.