The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across large parts of England and Wales, with heavy downpours set to disrupt plans this weekend.
The warning, in place for Saturday, affects southern England, London, the Midlands, parts of east England, and south Wales. Forecasters expect intense showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, gradually easing from the west by late afternoon.
According to the Met Office, rainfall could reach 10 to 15mm in under an hour, with some areas potentially seeing 30 to 40mm over a few hours due to persistent showers. Lightning, hail, and strong gusty winds may also accompany the storm, increasing the risk of disruption.
The adverse weather is expected to cause delays on roads and public transport, with hazardous driving conditions due to spray and standing water. The risk of lightning strikes may lead to minor structural damage and temporary power outages.
Temperatures are forecast to drop as the wet weather moves in, with lows of 10°C expected in London and just 7°C in Glasgow. This marks a sharp contrast to the recent weather, which saw the sunniest and warmest start to spring on record in the UK.
Between 1 March and 27 May, Britain recorded over 600 hours of sunshine, making it the driest spring in more than 100 years.
Despite this weekend’s washout, long-range forecasts suggest that the UK is likely to experience a hotter-than-average summer. The Met Office’s three-month outlook indicates a 2.3 times higher likelihood of a hot summer season, increasing the risk of heatwaves and heat-related impacts.
The meteorological summer, which runs from 1 June to 31 August, typically brings average temperatures between 10°C and 17°C across the UK, with the South East generally seeing the warmest conditions.
