Thunderstorms UK: Met Office weather forecast for today, warnings explained - where can thunder be heard?

Thunderstorms look set to hit the UK this week in the wake of the second heatwave in as many months.

An amber warning for hot temperatures was in place with 35C expected in some places, such as London.

Drought status has also been declared for the most affected areas of the country after the driest July on record for some parts.

Here is all you need to know:

When is the thunderstorm warning in force?

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms from 12am until 11.59pm on Tuesday (16 August) for England and Wales.

Another warning has been issued for Wednesday (17 August) for the south coast of England and Cornwall, it is in place from 9am to 11.59pm.

What does the Met Office warning say for Scotland and Northern Ireland?

Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster Daniel Rudman said: “Although the warnings are at a broad scale, forecasters expect individual thunderstorms to be quite isolated, and many within the warning in not encountering storm or heavy rain.

“After Wednesday conditions will settle down somewhat for most. Whilst there may be some periods of rain, and it will be unsettled at times in northern and western parts, the heavy downpours associated with thunderstorms become less likely.”

The yellow warnings highlight the potential for “frequent lightning, large hail and flash flooding”, the Met Office said, with intense rainfall that could see at least 5cm of rain in a two to three hour period in some places.

What do the warnings for England and Wales say?

The Met Office’s yellow warning for Tuesday 16 August says: “While some places stay dry, others are likely to see thunderstorms during Tuesday with torrential rain bringing some disruption.

“20-30 mm of rain is possible within an hour, but where areas of thundery rain become slow-moving, some places could see 50 mm in less than three hours.

“There is a low probability that higher totals could occur in a few spots over the course of the day, while hail and frequent lightning are likely additional hazards for some places.

“There is considerable uncertainty at this stage in regional and county level focus.”

The warning for Cornwall and the south coast of England on Wednesday, 17 August says: “Whilst some places will miss them, thunderstorms and areas of heavy rain will develop quite widely on Wednesday across the southern England.

“20-30 mm of rain is possible within an hour, but where areas of thundery rain become slow-moving, some places could see 60 mm in less than three hours.

“A few spots could see more rainfall than this still, whilst hail and lightning may be additional hazards.”

Where is the thunderstorm warning for?

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for these places:

Central, Tayside & Fife

Grampian

Highlands & Eilean Siar

Northern Ireland

SW Scotland, Lothian Borders

Strathclyde

East Midlands

East of England

London & South East England

North East England

North West England

South West England

Wales

West Midlands

Yorkshire & Humber