Yellow warnings in force as rain and thunderstorms to hit parts of UK
It follows hot weather across the UK, which coincided with extremely dry conditions.
“Intense” thunderstorms and heavy rain across much of England and Wales could cause travel disruption this week, forecasters have warned, as yellow weather warnings come into action.
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The Met Office said a band of heavy showers and thunderstorms is expected to move northwards on Wednesday morning.
The weather service said warm and humid conditions will bring an increasing chance of heavy showers, thunderstorms and longer spells of rain.
It follows hot weather across the UK which coincided with extremely dry conditions, with drought being declared in nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales.
The RAC said risks to drivers from slippery roads from rainfall are “much greater right now as a result of the prolonged dry spell”.
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A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued from 3am to 10pm on Wednesday across much of England including London and the South East, the Midlands, East Anglia, and parts of the North West, South West, as well as eastern parts of Wales.
The Met Office warned that showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday afternoon “may be intense”, with 20-30mm rain falling in less than an hour and 40-50mm being possible in two to three hours in a few spots, leading to some surface water flooding.
The weather service said there is a “small risk of flooding and disruption” from thunderstorms on Wednesday, including possible damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes or hail.
It added that spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.
Large hail and frequent lightning are also possible before showers and thunderstorms drift northwards and ease during Wednesday evening.
⚠️ Yellow weather warning issued ⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 25, 2026
Thunderstorms across parts of England and Wales
Thursday 06:00 – 22:00
Latest info 👉 https://t.co/TfU9Ok8qZD
Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/mEk4YAu8ru
The Met Office has advised people to “ensure moveable objects or temporary structures are well secured” before gusty winds arrive, including bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, gazebos, sheds and fences.
A further yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued from 6am to 10pm on Thursday across large parts of England including the Midlands, East Anglia, the North West, Yorkshire, the South West, as well as much of Wales.
The weather service said there is a “small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life”.
It added there was also a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.
The Met Office said 20-30mm of rain in three hours is “expected fairly widely” and up to 50mm in a 12-hour period can be expected in places.
There is also a small chance that some places may see more than 50mm of rain in three hours and more than 75mm through 12 hours “especially over east facing high ground”.
The weather service added that lightning and hail of 1-2cm will also be hazards on Thursday.