Exact time thunderstorms could hit London as yellow weather warning issued

Thunderstorms are set to sweep across parts of the UK this week, bringing a dramatic change in conditions following a record-breaking hot summer.

Thunderstorms can be unpredictable, but forecasters have pinpointed the times when the worst weather is most likely to hit.

Further warnings cover northern parts of England and Wales from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, while Northern Ireland is under a warning from midday until midnight on Wednesday.

Weather warnings for Wednesday, August 26

PA Wire

Spray and standing water could also make driving conditions difficult, while there is a small chance that homes and businesses could experience power cuts.

In its Wednesday morning forecast, the Met Office said: “Rain will soon clear from the far southeast of England, whilst gradually easing across northern Scotland.

The cooler, wetter conditions follow the UK’s fifth heatwave of the summer. The hottest day of the year was recorded at Kew Gardens in London, when temperatures reached 38.1C.

Heavy downpours could also increase the risk of surface-water flooding, particularly where prolonged hot and dry weather has left the ground hard and less able to absorb sudden rainfall.

The shift from hot and dry conditions to thunderstorms comes as the UK faces increasingly severe weather extremes.

Scientists say climate change, driven primarily by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat and contributing to changing rainfall patterns.