Yellow thunderstorm warnings issued across the UK

Yellow thunderstorm warnings have been issued across the UK, with heavy showers expected to lead to flash flooding and travel disruption.

The Met Office warnings will come into force across northern England, Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland later in the day on Wednesday. The warning for northern England will remain in place until Thursday morning.

The downpours follow almost two months of dry weather, with parts of the country experiencing their first rain in weeks on Tuesday.

People in areas impacted by thunderstorms have been told by the Met Office to expect that businesses and homes could flood, transport services could be delayed and power cuts are likely.

The yellow weather warnings are in place for:

The Met Office said lightning, hail and thunder was expected in the areas affected by warnings, with up to 30mm of rain expected within a few hours in parts of North East Scotland and across Northern Ireland.

Parts of northern England could see up to 50mm of rain within six hours.

Much of the UK has seen a mixture of sunshine and scattered showers already on Wednesday.

In Wisley, Surrey a 62-day long dry spell was broken this morning, with the remarkable run ending after 1.6mm fell before 10.00.

The national weather service has said this summer is likely to be the hottest on record, with the country experiencing five heatwaves so far.

July 2026 was the driest July on record for England and Wales. Drought officials have declared 71.3% of England in drought, while parts of eastern Scotland are experiencing significant water scarcity.

Southern England has been worst affected, recording its driest month ever in records dating back to 1836.

While the shift in weather may bring welcome relief to areas experiencing drought, the Environment Agency has warned "sustained and significant rainfall" will be needed to alleviate the situation.

In such conditions, heavier showers can lead to flash flooding due to the ground being very hard and compacted, making it more water repellent and increasing run off.