UK weather: Sports fans to face heavy rain and thunderstorms over weekend

2 July 2021, 20:58 | Updated: 2 July 2021, 21:00

Sports fans across the UK will face torrential rain and thunderstorms set to hit over the weekend.

The Met Office issued two yellow weather warnings for both thunderstorms and rain on Saturday.

This comes as England prepare to take on Ukraine for the Euros, which, despite taking place in Rome, could mean Brits in fan zones and pubs around the UK are caught in the expected downpour.

Wimbledon spectators will not get off lightly either, with those hoping to see Roger Federer in action on Centre Court also likely to need an umbrella to hand.

Tom Morgan, a Met Office forecaster, said: "Over the weekend much of the UK will see some unseasonably wet weather following a fine day on Friday.

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"We have two yellow weather warnings in place, the first covering the south-west of England including parts of Cornwall, Devon and Bristol, which will see heavy and persistent downpours and even some flooding from Saturday afternoon.

"Another warning of thunderstorms will cover large swathes of central England, spanning from the south to north, starting from 6am on Saturday.

"These areas will see scattered, heavy showers, thunderstorms and even some hail."

Unfortunately, the rain is unlikely to stop for a while, with Mr Morgan suggesting that it could continue on through to Monday.

The Met Office warned that the bad weather conditions could lead to potential damage to buildings from flooding, lightning strikes or hail.

Travel disruptions should also be expected, including delays on public transport and difficult driving conditions due to floods.

There is a small risk of power cuts for some homes and businesses across the country too.