Hot temperatures still around as severe thunderstorms loom
After days of scorching temperatures, large swathes of the UK could be hit by severe thunderstorms this week.
The heat is still, on but the Met Office – which has issued a broad yellow warning covering much the UK from Monday to Thursday – says where there are thunderstorms, "they could be significant and disruptive".
Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said: "For England and Wales over the next four days, there is a risk of some very severe weather in places but it is not going to be everywhere.
The Week Ahead:
Thunderstorm warnings are in force as the #UKheatwave continues
The heat and humidity will spread further north, triggering severe thunderstorms across the UK. Thunderstorms will be hit and miss, so not everywhere will see them pic.twitter.com/s6zBbgS3oU
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 9, 2020
"Away from the thunderstorms, it is still going to be very hot.
"It is not going to be wall-to-wall sunshine, but it is not going to be a washout each day."
The warning means there is a risk of torrential rain, hail, frequent lightning and strong gusty winds in much of England and Wales if intense thunderstorms break out.
Downpours could see totals of 20-30 mm of rainfall in an hour, with some locations potentially receiving 40-60 mm in three hours.
The Met Office added that these would be fairly isolated incidents.
Regarding Monday, Mr Snell said: "The warning does not imply that everyone is going to see them (thunderstorms) – a lot of places will remain dry, sunny and hot – but we will see some fairly severe thunderstorms developing over the course of the day."
Western areas may be more at risk of thunderstorms than regions in the east, but anywhere in the warning area could be struck – and most parts will stay dry, he stressed.
Hot and humid weather will continue this week, with some very warm nights too
The heat will spread further north in the coming days, with an increasing risk of #thunderstormspic.twitter.com/KD1XeQ7Rz9— Met Office (@metoffice) August 9, 2020
The sunshine is still set to hit the south east and there will be "a high chance of 36C" in the region.
Friday saw the hottest August day in 17 years, with temperatures hitting 36.4C at Heathrow and Kew Gardens.
Sunday was "another hot day" in southern England, where temperatures reached 34C at Herstmonceux, East Sussex, and 33.8C at both Heathrow, London, and Gosport, Hampshire, the Met Office said.
Mr Snell said: "We started this run of 30C days on Thursday, and Monday will be the fifth day where we will have those temperatures down in the south eastern quarter of the UK."
Scotland and Northern Ireland may have a lesser risk of seeing thunderstorms on Thursday as temperatures start to fall away.