Met Office issues yellow warning for thunderstorms as ex-Hurricane Kirk brings rain and wind to UK

It is set to be a wet and windy week as ex-Hurricane Kirk bring a heavy rain and strong wind to the country after travelling across the Atlantic. With wild weather on the way, the Met Office has issued a new weather warning.

The yellow thunderstorm warning is in place from 4pm today (October 7) until midnight. It covers much of the south-west coast of England, including Brighton, Portsmouth, Exeter, and Bath, as well as stretching up to south Wales to hit areas such as Cardiff and Swansea.

The Met Office said in its update: “Areas of heavy showers and thunderstorms will move northwards across southern parts of England and Wales later Monday, clearing northwards overnight.

“Some places will see 20-30mm of rain within 2-3 hours, with a small chance that a few places could receive 40 mm. Thunderstorms are most likely for south-facing coastal districts, and hail and some strong gusts of wind could accompany the heaviest showers and thunderstorms.”

Chris Bulmer, the Met Office’s deputy chief meteorologist, said: “Kirk over the North Atlantic will lose its status as a hurricane early next week before being swept towards northwest Europe. The resulting low pressure system will still have the potential to bring disruptive rain and winds to some areas, including parts of the UK, from the middle of next week.”