Britons set for weekend of warm weather before thunderstorms hit

Visitors to Green Park
AP
Olivia Tobin21 June 2019

The UK will face heavy rain and thunderstorms to finish the weekend, before hot and humid temperatures move in over next week.

Saturday will be dry with sunny spells, feeling warm for much of the country with highs of 24C (75.2F) in London and the South East, forecasters at the Met Office said.

But thunderstorms will begin to move in from the South West of England overnight, bringing with them heavy rain and lightning on Sunday.

By the afternoon, there is a chance of torrential downpours and lightning for most of the UK, with possible flooding, power cuts and disruption to travel, the Met Office warned.

Yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms are in place across much of England, Scotland and Wales from noon on Sunday and remain in place in England and Wales until midnight on Tuesday, when "potentially severe" storms are described as "likely".

Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Becky Mitchell, a meteorologist for the Met Office, said: "Going into Sunday there will be a drastic change in the weather type bringing potential disruption.

"There is the chance of flash flooding and torrential downpours causing some travel disruption for commuters on Monday.

"The band of heavy rain will move northwards going into the start of the week, and the yellow warning of thunderstorms will remain for both Monday and Tuesday."

Moving into next week, the temperature will begin to rise and most of the UK will be very warm and humid on Tuesday as southerly air moves in from Spain and North Africa.

Though not always sunny, the exceptional heat for some areas could reach 30C (86F) in London and the South East, while the rest of Europe bakes in record-breaking temperatures.

Ms Mitchell added: "The mixture of heat and humidity will push temperatures into the low 30s when the sun comes out, staying warm at night."

The temperature is expected to rise further in the UK as the week progresses.

A woman relaxes in the sun in central London in July last year. Next week's high temperatures will prompt memories of last summer's heatwave
Dominic Lipinski/PA

The average temperature for this time of year is between 17C (62.6F) and 21C (69.8F), and the temperature should stay above this for most of the weekend.

People living in a Lincolnshire town were told on Friday it is safe to return to their homes after extreme rainfall last week flooded 137 properties.

Residents in some 590 homes in Wainfleet were told to leave as waters continued to surge last Saturday, when further heavy rain predicted, after the town first flooded on June 12.

More than two months' worth of rain fell in three days last week, causing a breach of the flood bank on the River Steeping.

Racegoers shelter from the rain during day two of Royal Ascot
PA

Ben Thornely, flood risk manager for the Environment Agency, said: "We know how hard this last week has been for the people of Wainfleet and the surrounding areas whose home and businesses were flooded.

"Keeping people safe and helping them get back home is our top priority and we are pleased that over 500 people can return to their properties today."

An Anglia Water spokesman said: "We'd like to thank local residents for their help and co-operation over the last week in limiting the use of their facilities.

"We're pleased to say water levels in the network are now returning to normal, so people can use their toilets, showers and washing machines as they would usually."

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