Thunderstorm Alert Issued by Met Office After UK Heatwave
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms across parts of the UK, following the fourth heatwave of the summer.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to see “heavy showers and thunderstorms” from Wednesday evening into Thursday. Authorities have cautioned that the downpours could disrupt roads and public transport, with some areas potentially receiving up to 50mm of rain.
The heatwave earlier this week pushed temperatures above 33C in some locations. The mercury soared on Monday and Tuesday, leaving communities sweltering before the stormy weather moves in.
The first yellow warning covers regions of Scotland, including Aberdeenshire, Dundee, Edinburgh, East Lothian, and Glasgow, from 2pm to midnight on Wednesday.
A second warning then stretches across central and eastern Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, lasting until 10pm on Thursday.
Residents are urged to prepare for heavy rainfall. Hail and gusty winds are also expected. Drivers are warned of “difficult driving conditions” and potential road closures. Communities at risk of flash flooding should plan accordingly and ensure an emergency flood kit is ready.
“Whilst most areas will remain dry, a few isolated to well-scattered heavy showers and thunderstorms could develop on Wednesday afternoon and evening,” the Met Office said.
“Where these occur, some places could receive 20-30 mm in less than an hour, with very localised totals in excess of 50 mm possible if storms repeatedly affect the same areas.
“The most intense thunderstorms could produce large hail and gusty winds. Showers and thunderstorms will tend to ease mid to late evening, but may linger over Orkney and the far north of mainland Scotland into the first part of the night.”
There is also a “slight chance” of power cuts affecting homes and businesses. People have been advised to “consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.”
Authorities have warned of a potential “danger to life” from a “small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater.”
Further heavy showers are predicted on Thursday morning, with accumulations of 20-40 mm possible in the heaviest-hit areas within an hour.
“Further scattered heavy showers and thunderstorms are then likely to develop on Thursday afternoon and evening across portions of central and eastern Scotland in particular,” the Met Office said.
“These will be rather slow-moving, potentially giving isolated accumulations of 40-60 mm in an hour, with a higher likelihood of some impacts from surface water flooding.
“Showers and thunderstorms should slowly decay during the mid to late evening.”
Despite the stormy outlook for some areas, warm and sunny weather is expected across much of the UK ahead of the weekend. London, for example, is forecast to reach highs of 29C on Wednesday and Thursday.
