Heatwave hits 32C amid amber thunderstorm warnings and flood risks

The ongoing heatwave in the United Kingdom is expected to reach 32C today, but weather experts are warning of potential thunderstorms that may lead to flooding. Saturday marked the hottest day of the year thus far, with temperatures in Surrey reaching 32.3C. However, in the North, heavy rain and hail were experienced on Saturday evening, prompting the Met Office to issue an amber warning for thunderstorms.

The Met Office had anticipated up to 100mm of rain last night, equivalent to a month’s worth, but the highest recorded rainfall was 21.8mm in Billinge Hill, Merseyside. Amy Bokota, senior operational meteorologist, explained that the lower recording could be due to the location of the gauges and that areas in the North West would still have experienced torrential rain and hail, even if nearby regions had clear skies.

In Worcestershire, a road was closed last night when a tree fell following heavy rain, bringing a power line with it. Police officers urged residents to avoid the area for their safety.

A yellow warning for thunder is in place from 12pm to 9pm today for Wales, Northern Ireland, and most of western and central England and Scotland. Hot weather is anticipated next week, with thunder and showers expected tomorrow. However, conditions are likely to settle from Tuesday onwards.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber alert for hot weather until 9am on Tuesday in the West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, South East, and South West. This indicates that the heat’s impact is “likely to be felt across the whole health service … and the wider population, not just the most vulnerable.” A less severe yellow alert is in place for the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber regions, as well as London, warning of possible disruption to services due to weather conditions.