Met Office issues yellow thunderstorm warning after UK’s hottest days

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms in various parts of the UK, following the hottest days of the year. The warning was implemented at 12pm on Sunday and will continue until 9pm on Monday. Forecasters have cautioned that heavy rainfall may create difficult conditions in some areas of the country.

On Sunday afternoon, the Parklife festival in Manchester was temporarily suspended due to a thunderstorm. In Wales, a weather warning for heavy rain covers a large portion of the country, excluding six council areas in the north. This warning is in effect from Sunday evening through Monday morning.

A yellow thunderstorm warning indicates a small possibility of rapid flooding in homes and businesses, as well as potential damage to buildings. The Met Office has also warned that train and bus services may experience delays and cancellations due to flooding or lightning strikes. Drivers may face challenging conditions due to spray and sudden flooding, and there is a minor chance of power outages.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber hot weather alert for much of southern England and the Midlands, in effect until 9am on Tuesday. This alert signifies that high temperatures could impact people of all ages and strain the health service. A temperature of 32.2°C in Chertsey, Surrey, marked the UK’s hottest day of the year. In Auchincruive, Ayrshire, temperatures reached 29.8°C on Saturday, making it Scotland’s warmest day of the year.

The Met Office predicts that the risk of thunderstorms and heavy downpours will persist in some areas throughout next week, with temperatures likely to remain above average.