Thunderstorm warning as scorching weather is set to continue

The Met Office has issued hot weather and storm warnings for the next few days – but says it is too early to predict exactly where the downpours will occur.

Temperatures reached above 30C for much of England and parts of Wales on Friday and Saturday, August 7 and 8, with similar highs expected today.

It was exceptionally hot in the South East, where a maximum of 36.4C was recorded at both Heathrow and Kew Gardens, making it the warmest August day since 2003.

The hottest August day on record is 38.5C, reached in Faversham on August 10, 2003. The current hottest night on record for the UK is 23.9C, reached in Brighton on August 3, 1990.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Harris said: “Whilst the extreme heat is likely to gradually decline through next week, we are also expecting the risk of thunderstorms to increase, with the potential for downpours of up to 80mm in just a few hours. On any particular day, however, a lot of places will miss these altogether.

“We’ve issued a broad thunderstorm warning for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for all parts of the UK, since although the ingredients are there, it's just too early to pinpoint the details of exactly where and when thunderstorms will occur.

"As such, we will be monitoring the developing signals closely and I urge people to keep a close eye on Met Office warnings and forecasts over the coming days.”

The Met Office has issued a heat health alert for parts of England into next week and you can find tips on staying cool in hot weather on the Met Office website.

Ishani Kar-Purkayastha, Consultant in Public Health at Public Health England, said: “Many of us welcome warmer weather, but some people may find it more difficult to cope. People recovering from COVID-19 , those who are self-isolating, older people and people with underlying health conditions are all more vulnerable during hot weather.

“It’s important we continue to check on older people and those with underlying health conditions.”

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