Enjoy the sun while it lasts! Map shows where thunderstorms are set to batter UK on Bank Holiday Sunday as urgent yellow warning is issued
- The Met Office has issued yellow thunderstorm warnings for swathes of the UK
- 20mm to 30mm of rain could fall over a few hours in affected areas
Thunderstorms are set to bring the sunny bank holiday weather to a screeching halt on Sunday, according to the Met Office.
Temperatures are expected to hit 21C (69.8F) and 20C (68F) in London and Reading in what is likely to be the best day of Spring sun today.
While many may feel Summer has come early this morning, forecasters have urged people to get out while they can as less settled conditions are on the horizon.
The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for Wales, East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber as well as large swathes of East and South East England.
As much as 20mm to 30mm of rain could fall over a few hours in affected areas on Sunday and there may be some frequent hail and lightning strikes.
People in areas with a yellow warning should expect flooding and disruption, as the storms occur between midday and 8pm that day.
Spray and sudden flooding could cause difficult driving conditions and an increased likelihood of power cuts, the Met Office reports.
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Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said: ‘Overall, it’s a pretty mixed picture.
‘Saturday’s probably the best of the bunch, but there will still be some sunshine around on Sunday and Monday, but we’ll certainly be dodging downpours.
‘Watch out for some thunderstorms especially across parts of northern and central England and north-east Wales too.’
Despite stormy weather on the horizon, the late May Bank holiday has gotten off to a fresh start as some Brits have been graced with beams of sunshine this morning.
One sporty cyclist has already made the most of the sunshine embarking on a morning ride in Dunsden, Oxfordshire.
Although it may be a bright start to the day, grey clouds and rainfall are expected to emerge later on today.
Certain areas surrounding Plymouth are forecasted to experience between 2mm and 4mm of downpour.
Elsewhere in East Anglia and Lincolnshire the bank holiday weekend is forecasted to be dreary from the offset as showers will ensue for most of Saturday.
Forecasters predict the North of Scotland will be far drier, however the sky will be cloudy.
The wet and dreary weather is expected to carry on into Bank Holiday Monday as showers are expected to continue.
Heavy bouts of rainfall are also forecasted for the north of England as well as Scotland.
The sunny morning comes shortly after Brits were urged to prepare for travel chaos on what is set to be the busiest late May bank holiday weekend since the start of the pandemic.
It is estimated 20 million leisure trips will be made by car between yesterday and Monday, which would be the most for a late May Bank holiday weekend since 2019.
The worst day to travel was likely yesterday because the start of the long weekend coincided with the beginning of half-term for many schools, according to the RAC.
Drivers leaving Friday were advised to delay setting off until 6pm to miss the worst of the queues, while the busiest time today is expected to be from 3pm until 6pm.
P&O Ferries warned of ‘long queues at border controls’ at Dover, adding: ‘If you miss your sailing, we will transfer you to the next available once at our check-in booths.’
Rail passengers were also facing delays on some routes this morning, including:
- London Overground: No service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction;
- Bakerloo line: Delays from Elephant & Castle to Queen’s Park due to train shortage;
- West Midlands: Delays from Birmingham to Wolverhampton due to theft attempt;
- Merseyrail: No service between Formby and Southport due to a broken-down train;
- Great Western Railway: Delays from Truro to Falmouth Docks due to a train fault.
