Get ready to rumble

Thunderstorms bring risk of floods, but they’re just a flash in the pan…

HEAVY thunderstorms are set to bring “intense downpours” and the risk of flash floods today as summer takes a 24-hour rain check.

The Met Office has issued flood warnings, with fears as much as 30mm of rain could fall in just an hour in some areas.

But they say most of the country is set to be warm and dry again by tomorrow.

The Met Office alert is in place from late morning until 10pm tonight – with lightning, hail and gusty winds also likely to cause widespread disruption.

Forecasters say there is a chance some homes and businesses could be flooded.

The warning covers North and South West England, Wales, the East and West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humber.

Met Office forecaster Luke Miall said: “We’ve got some unsettled weather continuing for the next few days – quite a contrast to what much of this summer has seen across the UK.” By tomorrow, England and Wales will generally be dry and warm with sunny spells. Light showers are possible on western coasts.

But in western Scotland and Northern Ireland, it will be cloudy, windy and wet.

Eastern Scotland should be drier and brighter, and will also feel humid.

By mid-week the south is expected to be mostly dry and warm, with some sunny spells returning.