
Events cancelled as Met Office issues thunderstorm warning
The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for parts of England and Wales, including the south and south east.The forecasters said heavy showers and thunderstorms could result in disruption to transport and infrastructure in Kent, Sussex and Surrey between 09:00 and 18:00 BST on Saturday. Events have been cancelled across the weekend, including the Sussex Classic 2025, a surf ski race at Lancing Beach Green - which also acts as an assessment event for Team GB.The Met Office is encouraging people at high-risk "flash flooding" areas to take precautions as some places are to see between 30mm (1.18in) to 40mm (1.57in) of rain.
The full alert spans across the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East England, South West England, parts of Wales and the West Midlands.Potential lightning, hail and strong winds may cause additional hazards and delays for people looking to drive or take public transport.The Met Office said some damage to buildings and structures could be caused by lightning strikes, with short term loss of power "likely".
Clive Gasson, the organiser of this year's Sussex Classic, said cancelling the race was a "huge disappointment" as the event had a "record" number of entries.Kent Wind Festival, which was due to begin on 7 June at Betteshanger Park in Deal has also had its first day of activities cancelled to "ensure everyone's safety".Betteshanger Park said kite flying and making activities are expected to resume as scheduled on Sunday, 8 June.Conditions are expected to fade from the west during the mid to late afternoon, according to the Met Office.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Sudden downpours and rumbles of thunder across parts of England
Heavy rain and showers have produced rumbles of thunder across parts of England on Saturday. It came as a particularly intense band of showers charged east through the south and west, and forecasters said people should expect sudden downpours, thunder and dramatic skies. A Met Office yellow weather warning for thunderstorms was in place for most the day. The highest rainfall total was in Worlds End, Hampshire, where 31.9mm was recorded in the 12 hours to 8.30pm. The deluge saw rainfall totals of around 27-28mm across the southern stretch of the UK. Met Office data shows England recorded 32.8mm of rain last month – almost half the usual monthly average. The weather warning was initially for parts of central and southern England and Wales to 6pm, and was later altered to cover east, south-east and south-west England to 9pm. As the weather warning expired, Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin said: 'The band that had the most active showers on it, so had the most sort of lightning strikes within it, is now just off of the east coast of the country. 'The area of deepest instability has moved away. There are still a few reports of lightning across central England, but I think the worst of it is moving out of the way. 'We've lost the daytime heating, and the temperatures today were also adding to that instability and the development of those thunderstorms.' Top temperature was 19.4C in Manston, Kent, which was one of the areas hit by the downfalls along with Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, which endured the heaviest showers and thunderstorms and recorded temperatures of around 18.7C. Conditions are now expected to settle down, but while 'there could still be some heavy down bursts at times and heavy showers at times – I think the worst is behind us,' Ms Hutin said. Conditions are expected to improve on Sunday, with a drier day forecast for many, though showers may linger in parts of the North and East. Clear and sunny spells are expected for many areas but there could be some more persistent showers later in the West and North West.


The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
Thunderstorms on cards for parts of England and Wales, forecasters say
Thunderstorms are on the cards for many parts of England on Saturday, forecasters say. Plenty of showers may arrive as 'a particularly intense' band of rain charges east through the South and West – '(so) expect sudden downpours, rumbles of thunder, and dramatic skies', the Met Office said. A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms, covering parts of central and southern England and Wales, is in place through to 6pm. In an online forecast, Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said this could be when regions are hit with 'the heavier showers, risk of thunder, hail and lightning, perhaps seeing up to 30-35mm of rain across a couple of hours, across much of England and Wales'. The weather warning states that 10-15mm of rain could fall in less than an hour, while some places could see 30-40mm of rain over several hours from successive showers and thunderstorms. Up to 40mm of rain could fall in a few hours in some places – more than in the entire month of May. Met Office data shows England recorded 32.8mm of rain last month – almost half the usual monthly average. Some heavy downpours look set for north-eastern parts of England and eastern parts of Scotland, according to Ms Glaisyer. Sunshine, showers and strong strong, blustery winds are set to reach parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland. Temperatures are a little cooler than in recent days, with figures of up to 17-18C in the South and only 13C or 14C across much of Scotland. Conditions are expected to improve on Sunday, with a drier day forecast for many, though showers may linger in parts of the North and East.


The Sun
9 hours ago
- The Sun
Slugs get so stuck in 10p DIY solution they can't escape so your plants will FINALLY stop getting chomped
THE WARM and wet weather is the perfect conditions for slugs, with the persistent pest chomping away at gardeners precious plants. Fruit and veg are all targets for slugs who emerge at night to eat leaves. 3 3 They love the night and high humidity but hide during the day. With wet weather forecast for the weekend, gardeners are preparing for super slug damage. There are a number of DIY slug hacks all gardeners have tried, including cucumber, tea towels and copper tape. We can't wait to try this low-cost, 100% organic hack from the King's senior gardener Jack Stook. The organic and home-made slug catcher has the royal seal of approval – but with a paupers price tag. All you'll need are some common kitchen ingredients and a container. To create your DIY slug trap you'll need some yeast and sugar, and a container to create your slug trap. To save money, you can use the base of a bottle with the top cut off. Simply mix a tablespoon of yeast and a tablespoon of sugar to water and pour into the container. When you're done, bury the container in the soil with the lid exposed to catch any slugs sliding by. I'm a gardening expert and these are my top hacks to stop slugs taking over your garden as UK invasion worsens How does the DIY slug trap work? It works, because slugs are attracted to the yeast. By mixing yeast, sugar and water you create a frothy and fermented mixture that slugs love. This hack is so popular because it's low cost and creates no waste. OK, so keen gardeners will spot that it's not entirely new. Gardeners have been using the beer trap for centuries. Slugs have always preferred the leftovers of a pint to precious plants. This DIY slug hack achieves the same result – but saves you from cracking open a can. Leave the container exposed for the evening and you'll come back to your very own slug pub in the morning. The smell of the fermenting liquid can prove hugely popular so don't be surprised if you wake to see a container full of drunk critters. You can remove the slugs and replace the mixture as often as you need to. Your outdoor beast brewery is cheaper and better than pouring away good beer. It's a DIY slug trap that we can all raise a toast to. 3 Why having slugs in your garden is a good thing Yes, they chomp your precious plants, but having slugs in your garden should be celebrated. Rebecca Miller, Associate Editor for Fabulous, and novice gardener, believes we should work in harmony with slugs and not try to get rid of them altogether. "We've been conditioned as a society to believe we must have gardens with straight edges, short lawns with pretty stripes and perfect borders with flowers constantly blooming. But unruly hedgerows, abundance of tall wildflowers buzzing with insects, and bugs and slugs galore in flowerbeds is totally natural - and necessary. I understand that your plants might be very precious to you, but we need slugs and snails. They provide food for all sorts of mammals, birds, slow worms, earthworms, insects - and they are part of the natural balance. By removing them, we upset the ecosystem and can do a lot of harm - thrushes in particular thrive on them! It is said British Gardeners use some 650 billion slug pellets per year! Please find a natural alternative – the poison from slug pellets enters the food chain and can kill hedgehogs, who consider slugs and snails as a tasty treat. If you're truly desperate, consider using Diatomaceous Earth - it is a naturally occurring compound approved for organic use, that can be used for pest control. And while you're at it, challenge yourself to grow "sacrificial plants". Sacrificial planting, commonly known as trap cropping, is the deliberate act of growing plants to attract pests. Pick a slugs favourite vegetable or ornamental plant for them to nibble on, and they will leave your more precious plants alone." What happens to the slugs? The slugs in your DIY trap will drown in fermenting liquid (but it's not a bad way to go). If you're searching for a more humane way to rid your garden of slugs, you can head out at night when it's wet and humid and collect them in a bucket. Once you're happy you've got them all, you can take them someone safe, like a grassy or wooded area and set them free.