Thunderstorms are battering parts of the UK, prompting flood alerts and weather warnings across multiple regions. Dowdeswell Reservoir in Gloucestershire recorded around half its average monthly rainfall in just four to five hours by Wednesday afternoon.
Seven Environment Agency flood alerts remain active, covering riverside areas in Devon and Haywards Heath in West Sussex. The alerts warn of potential flooding in vulnerable low-lying areas.
Weather warnings span multiple regions
A yellow Met Office thunderstorm warning activated at 11am Wednesday covers eastern, south-western and south-eastern England, including London. The warning extends across the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and parts of Wales until 8pm.
A separate yellow rain warning affects north-east Scotland from 12pm to 9pm. Some thunderstorm areas could see up to 30mm of rain within an hour, creating surface water flooding risks.
Coastal areas in the rain warning zone face the heaviest downpours, with up to 80mm possible. Wind gusts reaching 45mph have already been recorded by Wednesday afternoon.
Rush hour disruption expected
Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glasyer warned: "If everything comes together and you see the right shower in the right place, you could see half a month's rainfall within a couple of hours. With the nature of a thunderstorm warning, and the nature of showers, not everywhere will see that much rainfall - some people might obviously not see any rainfall within that warning area. But there is a chance that there could be some heavy downpours, and some hail and thunder mixed in with those showers, as well as some strong gusty winds and some lightning."
Transport disruption and difficult driving conditions are expected during rush hour due to the storm timing. Another yellow thunderstorm warning takes effect from 2am to 5pm Thursday, covering most of England and Wales.
Flooding response and safety warnings
Environment Agency duty flood manager Dane Broomfield said teams are deployed across affected areas. "Persistent heavy rain and thundery showers mean minor surface water flooding is probable across parts of England today, with significant impacts possible but not expected on Thursday," he stated.
Broomfield issued urgent safety advice to motorists: "We urge people not to drive though flood water - it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car." The agency warns that spray and sudden flooding could create challenging road conditions, with homes and small businesses facing potential rapid flooding.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
