Met Office warns of flooding and damage to buildings today despite 32C heatwave
The weather may change abruptly in your area today and on Sunday, so much so that around 20mm of rain will fall in just a few hours across parts of Lancashire, the Met Office says
Some regions should prepare for flooding today - despite the scorching 32C heatwave, forecasters say.
A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms blankets large swathes of England as a band of low pressure will abruptly end the sunny spell. Although temperatures peaked at 32C on Thursday in west London, today's picture will be a mixed bag - and it is largely a north-south divide.
Sweltering highs of 33C are anticipated in and around London but it will be cooler - and wetter - across northern regions. With the drop in temperatures will come rain, heaviest over Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria. These areas, in addition to several others, are subject to the weather warning for storms which, like last Saturday's alert, is in place because of significant hazards.
"There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds... There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost," the Met Office website reads.
The storms will be scattered from around 3pm and linger throughout the night. Hail and gales are likely in some areas, particularly across the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales.
The weather warning continues: "Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures. There is a small chance that some communities become cut off by flooded roads.
"The most intense thunderstorms could produce frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds, along with some heavy downpours for a time. This may lead to some surface water impacts in places."
Further rain - albeit less heavy - is expected across the same regions on Sunday afternoon. North Wales will also see showers on Sunday, marking an end in these parts to the glorious weather most of the country has experienced recently.
But Brits across southern England, and parts of the Midlands, will dodge showers for the whole weekend, forecasters say. The warmest regions will be the Southeast of England and East of England but it will also be pleasant across the Midlands and Southweast of England. Drizzle is anticipated across south Wales this afternoon.
The Mirror reported yesterday how another band of low pressure will eventually creep across the UK from the southwest and, as a result, vicious thunderstorms will batter other areas soon. Weather maps show around 30mm of rain - more than half an average June's total - will lash across parts of the Midlands, the Home Counties and the East of England on Saturday June 28. It clashes with Glastonbury - and Somerset is expected to see some wet weather that weekend.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Brits in 7 areas given 'torch and batteries' warning amid storm and 34C heatwave
Thunderstorms are set to hit the UK just as parts of the country bake under extreme heat - with temperatures expected to soar to 34C in eastern England and climb past 30C in the north Brits in seven regions have been told to 'gather torches and batteries' as violent storms threaten to knock out power during a blistering 34C heatwave. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning this weekend, with thunderstorms set to hit just as parts of the country bake under extreme heat. Temperatures are expected to soar to 34C in eastern England and climb past 30C in the north. But from 3pm today until 4am Sunday, heavy storms could bring flash flooding, travel disruption, and power outages across the East Midlands, North East England, North West England, Wales, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humber. Some communities could be cut off by floodwaters, roads may close, and bus and train services could be cancelled, the forecaster warned. The Met Office said to those in impacted regions: 'Consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.' Scattered thunderstorms are expected to build through Saturday afternoon and move northeast, clearing by early Sunday. In a statement, the Met Office added: 'Scattered thunderstorms may develop during Saturday afternoon, lasting through the evening hours, moving northeastwards before eventually clearing to the North Sea by the early hours of Sunday. 'The most intense thunderstorms could produce frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds, along with some heavy downpours for a time. This may lead to some surface water impacts in places.' They also urged residents to 'consider if your location is at risk of flash flooding. If so, consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit. Prepare to protect your property and people from injury. Before gusty winds arrive, check to ensure moveable objects (such as bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents) or temporary structures are well secured. 'If you find yourself outside and hear thunder, protect yourself by finding a safe enclosed shelter (such as a car). Do not shelter under or near trees, or other structures which may be struck by lightning. If you are on an elevated area move to lower ground. 'Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary.' Regions and local authorities affected: East Midlands Derbyshire Nottinghamshire North East England Darlington Durham Gateshead Hartlepool Middlesbrough Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside Northumberland Redcar and Cleveland South Tyneside Stockton-on-Tees Sunderland North West England Blackburn with Darwen Blackpool Cheshire East Cheshire West and Chester Cumbria Greater Manchester Halton Lancashire Merseyside Warrington SW Scotland, Lothian Borders Scottish Borders Wales Conwy Denbighshire Flintshire Wrexham West Midlands Staffordshire Stoke-on-Trent Yorkshire & Humber East Riding of Yorkshire Kingston upon Hull North Lincolnshire North Yorkshire South Yorkshire West Yorkshire York
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Dates confirmed of sunsets before 8pm again after Summer Solstice
Today, Saturday June 21, marks this year's Summer Solstice, or the longest day of the year. The day on which the UK will see the first pre-8pm sunset again has been confirmed Today, Saturday 21 June, signifies this year's summer solstice, or the longest day of the year. It marks the beginning of summer on the astronomical calendar, although using meteorological seasons, summer began nearly three weeks ago. The summer solstice, along with the rest of the astronomical calendar's seasons, are dictated by the tilt of the Earth's axis in relation to its orbit around the sun. That calendar sees summer begin with the summer solstice, and conclude with the autumn equinox. This year, astronomical summer will run from 21 June to 22 September. And from 22 June, the days will start to shorten again, with sunsets occurring imperceptibly earlier, reports the Express. Forecasts suggest that the UK will witness its first pre-8pm sunset on Sunday, 24 August. It will be seen at Ness Point, the most eastern part of the UK, which has a predicted sunset time of 7.59pm on this date. Those in County Fermanagh, one of the most western parts of the UK, will experience its first pre-8pm sunset some 17 days later, on Wednesday, 10 September. Those in London will see the sun set before 8pm on Wednesday, 27 August, while those in Cardiff can expect this to happen on Monday, 1 September. Meanwhile, thousands of people saw the sun go up over Stonehenge to mark the summer solstice. People who gathered in Wiltshire enjoyed a warm start to the morning. Temperatures in Salisbury and Greater London reached 18C by 5am, according to the Met Office. The Met Office's experts said Yeovilton in Somerset and Crosby in Merseyside recorded the highest overnight temperatures in England. They had both reached 19.7C by 6am on Saturday. Towns in Cumbria and Lancashire also notched up temperatures above 19C. Officials say an amber heat-health alert for all regions in England is in place for the weekend. The amber heat-health alert was issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023 and will last until 9am on Monday. The alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service and possibly across the wider population. The UKHSA says we may also see an increase in risk to health for people aged over 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: "We have already seen warm weather across the week, and temperatures are set to increase in the coming days, exceeding 30°c in many areas. "Our findings show that heat can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions. It is therefore important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable and to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun."
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Does the UK heatwave make it too hot to work? Employer rules explained
With tempertaures across Scotland skyrocketing yesterday, is there a temperature that makes it too hot to work? Scotland was hit with its hottest day of the year yesterday, with temperatures soaring to 28.9 degrees at the shores of Loch Ness in Drumnadrochit. Many other places across the country weren't far behind this record high, with temperatures reaching 28.7 degrees in Aberdeenshire, 28.4 degrees in Edinburgh and 27.3 degrees in Glasgow. With these temperatures way above the average for this time of year, with June normally recording a high of 17 degrees, many of us tried to make the most of the weather by soaking up as much of the sun as possible. However, with these record highs falling on a Friday, many Scots still needed to go about their daily routine and go to work. While jobs can range from manual labour to office work, many of us may be wondering if there is a point the mercury needs to reach before Brits can be excused from work? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Currently there is no maximum temperature specified in law that can stop people from having to work, reports the Mirror. This is due to some jobs always having to work in hot conditions, such as those working in glass works. However, this doesn't mean that employers can force their staff to work in uncomfortable conditions, as they still have to make sure that the workplace is a safe environment. William Walsh, a partner in the employment team at law firm DMH Stallard, said: "The legal responsibilities in respect of health and safety in the workplace still apply and this means carrying out a risk assessment and ensuring that employees work in temperatures that are reasonable and do not place their health and safety at risk. "The nature of the work will be relevant, as will factors such as whether employees need to wear protective clothing as part of their job that may make it harder still for employees to keep cool." For those who work in an office space, this could mean altering specific dress codes. For example, taking away the requirement to wear a tie, long trousers and shirts while the temperature rises. Additionally, the same healthy and safety obligations apply for people who work from home. William said: "The risks should be much lower, as home workers are unlikely to be undertaking physical tasks and, even if they were told to stop working, those individuals would still be in their same home environment. "But the issue should not be discounted altogether. If, for example, it was known that an employee was working from their home office set up in a small box room up in a loft conversion, where it could get uncomfortably hot, they should be encouraged to move." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. However, some people are wanting to make changes to the law. For example, the TUC worker's union wants to make it illegal to keep people at work indoors if the temperatures soar to over 30 degrees. They also want protection put in place for people who work outside or drive for a living. Additionally,the union also thinks workers should be allowed to take regular breaks to help keep them cool when the office is too warm. On the flip side, while there isn't a maximum working temperature, there is a recommended minimum temperature for a work place to stand by. However, it should be noted that this also isn't set in law. The minimum recommended temperature is said to be 16 degrees, with it slightly lower at 13 degrees for those who take part in physical labour. In Britain, the Health and Safety Executive provides the regulatory framework for workplace health and safety.
