UK weather: Met Office issues yellow warnings for thunderstorms ahead of bank holiday 'heatwave'

Yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms have been issued by the Met Office ahead of a forecast ‘heatwave’. Temperatures are set to soar this weekend, with the UK forecast to be bathed in sunshine during the bank holiday. However, before this, the south of England and Wales will have thunderstorms to contend with.

The meteorological service has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms from Wednesday, May 1 to Thursday, May 2. One warning is in place from 11pm this evening until am Thursday morning for the south-east of England stretching up to Gloucester, while another, located over the south-west of England and South Wales, is in place from 8pm this evening until 8am Thursday morning.

The Met Office said in its update that heavy rain is also expected, with possible spray and “sudden flooding” possible in some areas. The update said: “Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services. There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost.”

It comes as a temperatures are expected to soar into the 20ºCs over the May bank holiday weekend. The Met Office has said in its forecast for the period: “An uncertain period through the bank holiday weekend with the most likely result a warm but cloudy day Sunday with a few light showers, then increasingly cloudy with rain spreading from the west, though weakening as it does so, however there remains a broad spread of solutions with the threat of showery spells a common feature.

“Into the new week all areas are likely to see a mixture of showery periods or spells of rain, though generally drier conditions expected to develop through the following week away from the northeast as high pressure develops to the west. Sunniest conditions across the south, cloudiest in the north and east. Temperatures mostly a little above normal for early May.”