Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued across much of England and Wales amidst a heatwave that has engulfed most of the UK. Wednesday night and Thursday are forecasted for heavy showers, thunder, and lightning with possible disruption to travel and power cuts. Along with these warnings, flood alerts have also been put in place across parts of the Midlands. On Friday, it is expected that southern England will see peak temperatures of 28C continuing the warm weather that has been present in recent days.
The yellow warnings have a significant reach, covering parts of central, northern, southern, and south-eastern England, along with central and eastern Wales. The Met Office cautions that some specific areas might see difficult driving conditions and road closures along with possible delays and cancellations to train and bus services. Adding to these warnings, it has been mentioned that damage to buildings could occur due to fast-flowing water, lightning strikes, hail, or strong winds, and this flooding could pose a danger to life.
Deputy Chief Forecaster, Dan Holley, noted that the thunderstorm warning is for a broad area, but not all of it will be affected. He stated that there would likely be the most significant impacts on central, southern and southeast areas of England, where certain locations might face torrential downpours, large hail, and frequent lightning. In a few places, rainfall might exceed 50-100mm in a few hours.
Additionally, the Environment Agency has issued eight flood alerts for parts of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Loughborough. The rivers most at risk include Trent, Maun, and Leen, and low-lying agricultural land, roads, and footpaths close to small rivers and streams are considered to be areas of concern. People who live in these areas are advised against using low-lying footpaths near local watercourses and to plan their driving routes to avoid low-lying roads near rivers.
The hot weather across the UK shows no sign of abating soon, and although it is expected to cool slightly over the weekend, there is still a risk of isolated thunderstorms in the east and south-east of England. Nonetheless, the frequency and impact of these disturbed weather systems are expected to be reduced. The Met Office defines a heatwave in the UK as “when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold.” In London and its surrounding regions, that threshold is 28C, which has already been surpassed since Monday
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