Amber thunderstorm warning in pressure after UK’s hottest day

An amber climate warning for thunderstorms got here into pressure for components of jap and south-eastern England on Friday night time, because the UK had its warmest day of the yr up to now.

Thunderstorms are additionally anticipated to lash throughout different components of the nation, with a yellow warning issued for many components over the weekend.

The Met Workplace has warned flooding of houses and energy cuts are doubtless, as are cancellations to coach and bus providers and troublesome street situations.

In a single day, thunderstorms introduced extraordinarily heavy rainfall to components of Kent, with the Dover space experiencing flooding.

The rain and lightning rolled in after the very best temperature was recorded in village Santon Downham in West Suffolk with 29.4C, in line with Met Workplace provisional figures.

Friday exceeded the 29.3C recorded in Kew, London, on 1 Might.

Scotland additionally had its warmest day of the yr up to now with 25.7C recorded at Lossiemouth in Moray.

“Today has been very warm for much of the UK, and hot in the South East where temperatures were comfortably 9C or 10C higher than the average expected for this time of year,” a spokesperson for the Met Workplace mentioned.

It comes as an amber warning for thunderstorms was issued for an space within the east and south-east from Eastbourne, Sussex, within the south as much as Cromer in north Norfolk from 20:00 BST on Friday until 05:00 on Saturday.

The Met Workplace mentioned some locations throughout the space coated by its amber warning might see 30-50mm of rain and winds in extra of 40-50mph.

Frequent lightning and intense downpours will result in flash flooding.

It warned quick flowing or deep floodwater is probably going, inflicting hazard to life.

The Met Workplace mentioned folks within the affected areas ought to put together to keep away from travelling by street throughout probably harmful street situations, drive cautiously if they need to journey, and keep away from floodwater the place potential.

They need to keep indoors as a lot as potential and contemplate checking on folks they know who’re weak and may have help with meals or medical provides, it mentioned.

RAC breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson mentioned that “amber weather warnings must be taken seriously.”

“Strong winds increase the chance of trees and powerlines falling and this combined with torrential rain over a short period can make driving much more challenging,” she mentioned.

“Anyone not confident driving in the conditions may wish to postpone their journeys until the stormy weather passes.”

Yellow climate warnings are additionally in pressure extra typically throughout jap and southern England and Wales the place the thunderstorms may very well be simply as extreme however extra localised.

Into Saturday there might be extra showers and thunderstorms throughout western components of England, Wales and into Scotland the place there’s a additional yellow extreme climate warning.

The yellow warnings for thunderstorms are in place in:

• South-west England and Wales from 14:00 to 23:59 on Friday

• Japanese and south-eastern England from 19:00 on Friday to 06:00 on Saturday

• Wales, western and northern England and Scotland from 00:00 to 18:00 on Saturday

The warmth and humidity has been constructing step by step, particularly throughout northern and jap components of England.

The excessive temperatures on Friday had been round 7 to 10C above common for the time of yr.

With the rising humidity and warmth, thunderstorms will convey the tip to the new spell.

Temperatures might be decrease on Saturday with highs like low to mid-twenties throughout jap England and excessive teenagers elsewhere.