UK weather warning - live: Storm Evert to bring 55mph winds as Met Office issues thunderstorm alert

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UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast

Storm Evert, the first named storm of 2021, hit southern parts of the UK overnight bringing with it costal gales, rain, and winds of up to 70mph.

Two yellow wind warnings remain in effect on Friday morning for southern England and Wales along the coast, reaching from St David’s in the west to Great Yarmouth in the east.

Gusts of up to 40 to 50mph are expected quite widely along the coast and could reach up to 55mph along the most exposed coastal areas. Strong winds are also expected to reach North Sea coastal areas during the late morning and afternoon.

The Met Office also issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for areas in the east of England, East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber. Heavy showers, thunderstorms and torrential downpours are expected to last until late this evening.

Some areas could see up to 70mm of rain falling, increasing the risk of flooding. Driving and road conditions could become difficult, and some communities could potentially be cut off due to flooded roads. Power and other services could also be lost in some areas due to the storm.

The storm arrived as the Met Office said that the climate crisis is already evident across the UK, with the country becoming significantly hotter and wetter. Experts pointed out that from 1991 to 2020, the UK has become 0.9C warmer and 6 per cent wetter.

Key Points

• Storm Evert lashes coast of England and Wales
• Climate crisis already evident in the UK
• Winds of 55mph expected along exposed coastal areas
• Met Office issues thunderstorm warning for east England

[30 July 2021 18:00 · Leonie Chao-Fong]

‘Heavy’ downpours to continue on Saturday

Heavy downpours will continue on Saturday with possible thunderstorms across central, eastern and southern England, the Met Office has said.

Storm Evert is expected to clear east Friday evening allowing central parts to become mostly dry with clear spells.

But those occasional sunny intervals will give way to showers on Saturday, becoming heavy and thundery across eastern, central and southeastern parts of England.

[30 July 2021 18:00 · Leonie Chao-Fong]

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