Thunderstorms set to batter the UK this weekend could pose a danger to life in some areas, the Met Office has warned as it issued an amber weather warning. Heavy rain with thunder could create "fast flowing or deep floodwater, causing a danger to life" across the east and South East of England, including London.
The amber warning covers Saturday morning between 4am and 11am, with various yellow thunderstorm warnings also in place from Friday morning through Saturday night. Between 20 and 40mm of rain could fall in just one hour in the amber warning zone, rising to 70 to 100mm in a few hours where heavy downpours persist.
Flooding threatens homes and businesses
"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 cause "significant impacts" if it hits more urban areas, with homes and businesses likely to flood quickly.
Some communities may be cut off if roads flood, while buildings could be damaged by floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds. It marks the first amber warning issued for London since January last year during Storm Henk.
Multiple warnings across England
The first yellow thunderstorm warning comes into force at 11am on Friday until 8pm across the East Midlands, north-east England and Yorkshire. Another yellow warning runs from 9pm to midnight on Friday in east and south-east England, before expanding to most of England and parts of southern Scotland from midnight to 9pm on Saturday.
"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", the Met Office said. Rain will likely be torrential in places, bringing 20 to 30mm in less than an hour, with 60 to 90mm possible in two to three hours in some locations.
Scorching temperatures before storms hit
Much of the UK will experience a warm and humid start to Friday before the thunderstorms arrive from France. East Anglia and the South East will see "notably high" temperatures reaching 28C to 30C widely, with a corridor between London and the east coast potentially hitting 32C.
Chief Met Office meteorologist Andy Page said the intense rainfall could lead to surface water flooding as well as frequent lightning and hail. He warned that this weekend is expected to be busy on the roads as more schools in England and Wales break up for summer holidays.
Travel disruption expected
The persistent cloud and rain will keep Saturday's temperatures relatively low, with maximums mainly staying in the high teens to low 20s. Brighter spells in the south could reach the mid to high 20s between weather systems.
The AA has urged drivers to prepare for disruption, noting this amount of rain represents well over a month's worth for a normal July. The breakdown service warned that storms could affect popular holiday routes for early summer getaway departures, with flash flooding and slippery road surfaces at junctions posing particular dangers.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
