UK weather: Thunderstorm warnings for many parts as damp August continues

Forecasters say ‘slow-moving area of low pressure’ is behind wet summer conditions

Thunderstorms are expected in large parts of the UK this weekend, bringing lightning, hail and downpours, as the country’s damp start to August continues, according to forecasters.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms covering Northern Ireland, North Wales, northern England and central Scotland from 4am until midnight on Saturday, with heavy showers potentially causing travel disruption and flooding in some places.

A separate thunderstorm warning was also issued for the same areas until midnight on Friday.

Forecasters have warned that some areas could be hit by 20 to 30mm of rain over the space of an hour on Saturday after 40 to 60mm of rain fell in parts on Friday.

“The reason for this is low pressure is in charge of the UK's weather at the moment - it's a very slow-moving area of low pressure, so it's not going anywhere quickly,” Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said.

“It's leading to bands of heavy showers and thunderstorms which you have seen through the course of Friday, and we have seen flooding in places too.”

Mr Dewhurst added: “This is going to continue through the weekend, particularly across the northern half of the UK where the showers will be slow-moving compared to southern areas, where it's a little bit windier.”

The Met Office also expects that temperatures will be on the cooler side for this time of year, predicted to be in the high teens to low 20s, despite some sunny spells likely among the showers.

Conditions on Sunday are set to be similar, with further downpours forecast for central and northern areas of the UK, and temperatures peaking at 21C to 22C.

Southern parts of England and Wales will be drier until later in the day, when heavy rain showers are expected to move in for the evening.

The forecast comes as the Met Office’s long-range predictions point towards warmer weather later in August following a period of unsettled conditions - although confidence in the long-term forecast is said to be “very low”.

For the period of 21 August to 4 September, the weather service says: “Somewhat unsettled and changeable conditions are most likely to remain in place at the start of the period, with these looking to give way to more settled, drier conditions by the end.

“Temperatures are likely to be above average, with the potential for hotter weather later in the month.”

In July, many parts of the UK saw their highest temperatures of the year as the country was hit by a summer heatwave, with Northern Ireland breaking its all-time hottest temperature record three times in one week.

Additional reporting by PA