Crews battling house fire caused by LIGHTNING - after Met Office issued a tornado warning
A house burst into flames after it was struck by lightning today - as the UK was hit by thunderstorms, heavy rain and even a tornado warning.
Fire crews rushed to the property in Fittleworth, near Chichester, West Sussex, just before 3pm following reports the roof was alight.
Aerial photographs show smoke billowing out of the top of the house and multiple fire engines with aerial ladders at the scene on School Close.
The area was shut to the public and nearby properties were told to keep their windows and doors shut.
It comes after the Met Office warned today that a tornado could batter parts of the UK following the driest start to spring in nearly six decades.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said it was 'not out of the question that we could see a funnel cloud, maybe even a brief tornado' across parts of the south east.
Thunder, lightning and heavy rain was also forecast.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the fire on School Close was caused by a lightning strike.
A spokeswoman said: 'We were called at 2.57pm to a house fire caused by a lightning strike in School Close, Fittleworth.
'We currently have six fire engines and an aerial ladder platform at the scene.
'Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are working to extinguish a fire in the roof space of the property.
'School Lane is currently closed and people are being advised to avoid the area.'
Tomorrow is set to be a drier day than Wednesday with a few showers possible across parts of the south west.
'But these won't be as intense as the showery bursts that we'll have seen through today,' Mr Burkill added in his forecast.
'There will again be a good amount of sunshine on offer.'
Friday is also expected to be 'mostly fine' but the weekend may bring some wet and windy weather
Deputy Chief meteorologist David Oliver said: 'We'll see a change in conditions this weekend as weather systems move in from the Atlantic.
'These will bring rain and windier conditions from the west later Friday, which will spread across the whole of the UK on Saturday.
'Some heavy rain is expected, especially in the northwest later on Saturday when winds will also strengthen, bringing a risk of coastal gales in the north.
Making plans for the bank holiday weekend?
Things are turning wetter and windier from Friday as low pressure arrives from the west 🌧️
Expect cloudy skies, scattered showers, and stronger winds, though a few brighter breaks are possible at times too 🌬️ pic.twitter.com/0gOphm4pcr
— Met Office (@metoffice) May 21, 2025
'These strong winds will continue on Sunday as an area of low pressure passes the northwest of the UK. Blustery showers are expected on Sunday, which will be heaviest and most frequent in the northwest. Conversely, the south and southeast may well see a good deal of dry weather.
'Wind will be a watchpoint for Sunday, especially across Scotland where there is some uncertainty on the exact track of the low and its associated wind speeds, so keep up-to-date with the forecast as it evolves over the coming days.'
Despite the upcoming wet weather, this spring is on course to be one of the driest seasons on record.
The previous record for the driest season in the UK was set in spring 1852 - which saw just 100.7mm of rain.
Rainfall is expected over the Bank Holiday weekend and next week, with frontal systems crossing the UK before the official end of meteorological spring next Saturday.
But even those downpours would leave this spring among the top five driest seasons since records began in 1836.
Professor Ed Hawkins, the UK's principal research scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, said: 'There has never been a season in the UK with less than 100mm.
'We could be close in 2025, depending on what happens in the next 10 days.'
'Spring is often the driest season of the year for the UK, and Spring 1852 was drier than any other,' Professor Hawkins added.
'Almost certainly it is going to be in the top five of any season on record, unless there are some large downpours.'
The 'remarkable' result bucks a general trend towards wetter springs in the UK, he added.
This March and April have both also been record-breaking months for sunshine, the Met Office say.
However, weather patterns can be unpredictable and Professor Hawkins said the driest season ever - spring 1852 - was followed by the wettest two month period on record in November and December that year.
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