How much rain will fall in Scotland during thunder and lightning downpours?
Scottish weather is once again playing silly buggers. Just a week ago we were soaking up the sun in a heatwave, and now we're gearing up for thunderstorms – such is the unpredictable nature of this country's weather.
Despite relishing in high temperatures last weekend, the rain is taking no prisoners over the next few hours. The Met Office has issued extensive yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms, rain, and thunder and lightning.
The first warning for thunderstorms kicked off at 11am on Monday, July 21 and is due to expire at 9pm this evening. The second warning for rain will get underway at 3pm today and will end at 6am tomorrow, Tuesday, July 22.
This has been rolled out specifically for Argyll and Bute and the Highlands. The Met Office warning insists rain will turn persistent and heavy on Monday afternoon, carrying on into the night.
Areas like Knoydart and Skye will particularly feel the brunt of this downpour.
The heavy rain is predicted to relent later in the night, but not before it might spark chaos with potential road closures, travel disruptions, and even structural damage to buildings in the interim.
So, amid all the warnings and alerts flooding our social media, how much rain is Scotland actually going to get?
The national weather agency says some areas will see 30-40mm of rainfall.
There is a small chance of 40-50 mm in one or two locations, mainly across southern Scotland.
However, others could experience a staggering 70mm.
On Monday (June 22), the Met Office UK rainfall map shows the greatest deluge hitting around 3pm.
The Central Belt and below is more sparse and scattered than the north, but where it will rain, it seems it will pour.
Most of the country is in the blue zone, which means rainfall of 0.5mm, however large swaths of the north-west, from Fort William up to Craig, are covered in yellow and orange, which means rainfall of 4-8mm or 8-16mm.
More concerningly, spots near Craig are in the red zone which means 16-32mm is on the way to them. This is all a pretty hefty amount, considering these spots are popular among holidaymakers during the summer months.
Places near Perth and Crianlarich, as well as small parts of East Ayrshire, are also in the red.
Meanwhile, down south, spots of deeper red, indicating more than 32mm can be seen between Thornhill and Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway. Flashes of red and deep red can even be seen on the outskirts of Glasgow.
The Met Office's most recent post on X, dated Monday, July 21, at 11:40am, reads: "Heavy showers will develop this afternoon for many parts of the country, although some areas will stay largely dry and bright.
"Thundery downpours are also possible at times. Western areas will be cloudier with outbreaks of rain."
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Lightning strikes are also likely along with the potential for hail and gusty winds. If you are wondering whether your area is under flood alert, we have listed all the impacted places in Scotland, of which there are currently 15.
In the meantime, read on for what regions and local authorities are affected by the thunderstorm warning for today.
Regions and local authorities affected
Central, Tayside & Fife
Angus
Clackmannanshire
Dundee
Falkirk
Fife
Perth and Kinross
Stirling
Grampian
Aberdeenshire
Moray
Highlands & Eilean Siar
Highland
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
Dumfries and Galloway
East Lothian
Edinburgh
Midlothian Council
Scottish Borders
West Lothian
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute
East Ayrshire
East Dunbartonshire
East Renfrewshire
Glasgow
Inverclyde
North Ayrshire
North Lanarkshire
Renfrewshire
South Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
West Dunbartonshire
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