Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Much of England and Wales

A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued, covering significant parts of England and Wales. This warning will be in effect from 4 AM to 9 PM tomorrow and indicates the possibility of dangerous weather conditions.

The Met Office has stressed the risk of ‘frequent lightning strikes and hail’ across the affected areas. The warning stretches from the Isle of Wight to the Scottish border, including western Wales, with Cardiff likely to be impacted.

Forecasters indicate that Saturday evening may see a few showers and isolated thunderstorms. However, by Sunday morning, there is a heightened risk of more vigorous and organized heavy showers and thunderstorms developing across southern England.

As the day progresses, the risk of storms is expected to shift broadly northward throughout the afternoon and into the early evening. While the exact extent of these thunderstorms remains uncertain, certain locations could experience heavy rainfall of 30 to 40 mm in under an hour, with some areas potentially receiving over 75 mm, which poses a risk of flooding and disruption.

Besides rain, the forecast warns of additional hazards including frequent lightning strikes and hail, particularly affecting southern and central England. The Met Office has noted that conditions would be drier and brighter in the far northwest, while the southeast may experience warmer and more humid temperatures, reaching up to 30°C.

However, deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris has highlighted that the warmer conditions are contingent upon breaks in cloud cover, calling for caution as conditions could remain unsettled into the following week with chances for further heavy rain.