Thunderstorm warnings spread to ALL of UK as Met Office says floods are a threat until Monday - while millions still face hosepipe ban
Intense thunderstorms and torrential rain could cause flooding and even pose a danger to life in some areas, while there is also a risk of power cuts and a loss of services to homes and businesses due to damaged caused by floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.
Yellow weather warnings have been issued for the south west of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, alongside in large parts of northern, eastern and southern England, and will remain in place until 9pm on Sunday.
Millions of people across major towns and cities are set to be impacted by intense bouts of rainfall, including those in London, Brighton, Portsmouth, Chelmsford, St Albans and Cambridge.
Some areas could see up to 75mm of rain in just a few hours, with heavy showers expected to continue until Wednesday.
It follows an amber weather warning issued from 4am to 11am across London and the south East this morning amid fears that up to 4in (100mm) of rainfall could fall within hours - equivalent to more than a month's worth of rain.
It marked the first amber warning issued for the capital in 18 months after Storm Henk battered England and Wales with strong winds in January 2024.
Today's weather warnings follow the second major hosepipe ban coming into force yesterday, with restrictions activated by South East Water for 1.4million people across Kent and Sussex in Ashford, Canterbury, Eastbourne, Maidstone, Haywards Heath and Tunbridge Wells.
One Londoner is seen taking extra precautions with both an umbrella and poncho in London on July 19
Then from Tuesday, Thames Water will bring in a ban for customers in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire and some parts of Berkshire - but not London.
But meteorologists fear that the heavy rain will not make a major difference to the ground because surfaces are extremely dry and will therefore not absorb much water.
Meanwhile, forecasters have warned that it could cause 'fast flowing or deep floodwater, causing a danger to life'.
'Torrential rain, with thunderstorms in places, could lead to some significant surface water flooding during Saturday morning,' the Met Office said.
An ongoing deluge may also cause 'significant impacts' if it hits 'more urban areas'.
Homes and businesses are likely to be battered by floods, and that flooding could happen quickly, with some communities at risk of being cut off if roads flood.
Up to 27 flood alerts have been imposed across England by The Environment Agency.
The Met Office added that the amber thunderstorm alert area 'includes London which is particularly susceptible to surface water issues during thunderstorms due to the high proportion of impermeable surfaces'.
Forecasters said that within this area, 20 to 40mm of rain could fall in an hour, with up to 70mm to 100mm accumulating in just a few hours, adding: 'If these higher totals fall over urban areas, there could be notable impacts.'
The persistent cloud and rain means that temperatures across the UK are expected to be relatively low, remaining mainly in the high teens to low 20s, though brighter spells in the south could potentially reach the mid to high 20s.
The AA has urged drivers to prepare for disruption and take care on the roads, with the breakdown service stating that 'this amount of rain is well over a month's worth for a normal July'
Homes and businesses are likely to be battered by floods, and that flooding could happen quickly, with some communities at risk of being cut off if roads flood
With the storms set to cause 'disruption', the Met Office added: 'Areas of heavy rain with embedded thunderstorms will move north-westwards across a large swathe of central and eastern England through Friday night into Saturday.
'Rain will likely be torrential in places, bringing 20-30mm in less than an hour, with 60-90 mm in two to three hours possible in a few places.'
Frequent lightning and localised surface water flooding are also possible.
In Scotland, a yellow rain warning covers the eastern side from Aberdeen to the borders from 4pm on Saturday until noon on Sunday.
16 flood alerts have also been issued for most of the country by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
There is also a small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life for parts of the country including Cornwall and south-west Wales, central and east England.
Chief Met Office meteorologist Andy Page warned that 'intense rainfall' is set to hit the UK, adding that the weekend is also 'expected to be busy on the roads' as more schools in England and Wales finish for the summer holidays.
He said: 'A range of severe weather warnings have been issued, including an Amber warning covering southeast England and London. The intense rainfall could lead to surface water flooding as well as frequent lightning and hail too.
'The situation is evolving, and warnings may be changed or added. This weekend is expected to be busy on the roads as more schools in England and Wales break up for the summer holidays, so it's important people keep up-to-date with the very latest forecast.
'There will be spells of more pleasant weather in parts of the UK through the weekend, with some sunny spells in between systems as they move through.'
In the south west of England, some areas could see up to 50mm of rain in just a few hours, and up to 75mm for some areas.
In central and east England up to 30mm of rain could fall in less than an hour and scattered heavy showers and thunderstorms may develop across Saturday afternoon.
In Northern Ireland, from Derry down to Tyrone, scattered showers will turn heavier with the chance of a few thunderstorms and up to 20mm of rain in an hour in some places.
Showers are expected to ease towards the evening.
Scotland will see areas of heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms arriving from the south during Saturday afternoon.
The AA has urged drivers to prepare for disruption and take care on the roads, with the breakdown service stating that 'this amount of rain is well over a month's worth for a normal July'.
They added: 'As well as heavy rain, impacts from frequent lightning, gusty winds and large hail are also likely.
'These storms could affect some of the popular holiday routes for early departures on this year's summer getaway.
'While localised flash flooding and the sudden appearance of surface water are the usual dangers associated with summer heavy rain, the potential for slippery road surfaces at junctions and roundabouts is a hidden menace.'
National Rail also advised passengers to check the service before they travel and allow extra time for their journeys, with speed restrictions possible in affected areas.
Downpours in London on July 17 as a person sits across the Thames from the London Eye
They added that 'heavy rainfall can cause flooding that may result in tracks being underwater and embankments being damaged, which can lead to potential landslips'.
Flooding can also impact points and signalling equipment, causing further delays.
At Lord's Cricket Ground in London, the pitch has flooded, causing delays to the Women's One Day International England v India match.
Taking to X to share the news of the delay, they said that the cut off time for the match will be 4.08pm, adding: 'Hopefully once weather improves, umpires will carry out pitch inspections throughout the day. We will endeavour to keep fans updated.'
The weather is expected to remain unsettled on Sunday with showers or longer spells of rain, some of it heavy and thundery.
But, certain parts of the UK are set to experience bouts of warm weather and brighter, drier spells throughout the weekend, particularly in the East and South East of England.
Alex Burkill, meteorologist at the Met Office, warned that the high temperatures could become 'quite uncomfortable' in some parts of the country.
He said: 'In the south and east, there is further chance of staying dry and some decent sunshine on offer.
'So there's a lot of heat around, high humidity as well, quite uncomfortable for some of us.
'As we go into the weekend, with the heat and the humidity, there's a fairly strong chance that we are going to see some heavy, thundery rain, feeding up from the south.
Sunday, July 20, rainfall forecast across the UK
That is likely to become pretty widespread across much of the country as we go through Saturday and into Sunday.'
Unsettled conditions are forecast to last until next week before showers ease by Wednesday.
Temperatures will be warm depending on the sunshine and conditions may settle by mid-week with showers still in the east.
On July 11, South East Water announced its hosepipe ban as the ongoing dry weather and hot temperatures across England have resulted in record-breaking water demand.
The firm said the ban means customers in Kent and Sussex will not be able to use hosepipes for activities such as watering gardens and washing cars, windows and patios, or filling swimming and paddling pools.
Enforced from yesterday and until further notice, those who ignore the ban face fines of up to £1,000.
But there was disbelief from some residents, including one who tweeted: 'Since I heard of a hosepipe ban in Kent a few days ago, I have passed no less than three underground pipes that appear to have broken, and water has been coming out, on main roads.'
Another tweeted: 'Water leak on Batts Bridge Road, Uckfield. Water leak in London Road, Burgess Hill. And yet we are subject to a hosepipe ban. What a shambles.'
In response, South East Water wrote: 'We understand it's frustrating to see leaks when there's a hosepipe ban. We're seeing record demand for drinking water in Kent and Sussex.'
Rosie Duffield, the independent MP for Canterbury in Kent, said at the time of South East Water's announcement last week that a hosepipe ban had been 'inevitable' after supply issues had already impacted some areas.
Monday's rainfall forecast across the UK
People walk over the dry grass at Greenwich Park in South East London on Tuesday
Clouds over Lincoln Cathedral on July 18 as thunderstorms are set to batter the UK this weekend
Ernwood reservoir in Buxton pictured with very low water levels on July 16
She added: 'Alongside many residents, I am angry as to why this was not called earlier to help prevent the unacceptable shortages and disruption suffered by many in our area.'
South East Water said in a statement last week: 'Demand for drinking water in Kent and Sussex has reached record levels since May – with the ongoing warm and dry weather, we're all using far more water than usual.
'This situation has left us with no choice but to restrict the use of hosepipes and sprinklers, so we can help our reservoirs and underground water storage recover.
'We also continue to monitor the situation in our Western region, where we serve customers in parts of Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.'
Under the ban, customers will only be allowed to use a hosepipe when it is required for unavoidable health or safety reasons, for the welfare of animals – including fish – and if the hosepipe is not connected to mains water supply, according to the water company.
It comes after all four UK nations experienced their warmest spring on record this year, with England experiencing its driest spring since 1893 and the driest start to the year since 1976.
June also marked England's warmest on record, with average temperatures hitting a balmy 16.9°C - the highest recorded since the series began in 1884.
Last month was also the second warmest on record for the UK, which saw an average temperature of 15.2°C.
It comes after all four UK nations experienced their warmest spring on record this year, with England experiencing its driest spring since 1893 and the driest start to the year since 1976 Pictured: visitors and locals flocked to a packed Bournemouth Beach on July 13, 2025
June also marked England's warmest on record, with average temperatures hitting a balmy 16.9°C - the highest recorded since the series began in 1884. Pictured: a man jumps off a pier in Sandycove, Ireland, on July 13, 2025
Rainfall across England was also 20 per cent less than the long-term average for June, which was also the hottest on record for the country, with two heatwaves driving unusually high demand for water, the Environment Agency has said. Pictured: Bournemouth on July 13, 2025
Read More
Heatwave ends as heavy and thundery downpours bring cooler temperatures
Across June, two heatwaves were confirmed across England and Wales - one in the third week of the month, and the second closing out the month.
Rainfall across England was also 20 per cent less than the long-term average for June, with two heatwaves driving unusually high demand for water, the Environment Agency has said.
Drought was declared in East and West Midlands on Tuesday, with the region joining swathes of northern England in drought status.
Looking ahead, the UK is likely to see more frequent and intense heatwaves, according to the Met Office.
Just last month, the Met Office's research showed that the chances of hitting 40°C are climbing at pace.
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