'Wave goodbye to the heat': forecaster's warning for next week as thunderstorms and heavy rain break out over UK
8 July 2023, 14:22 | Updated: 9 July 2023, 12:14
Brits have seen the last of the sunny weather for a while, a forecaster has warned, as a heavy downpour hit much of the UK.
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After scorching temperatures on Friday, a yellow thunderstorm warning is now in place for Saturday until midnight from London to north-west Scotland, and up to 50mm of rain could be seen in the northern part of the Midlands.
Wimbledon and the Ashes Test match at Headingley in Leeds have both been disrupted by the weather, although the weather has remained warm in parts of eastern England.
John Hammond, chief forecaster at Weather Trending: "In the wake of these storms it won't be as hot and through tomorrow, although there will still be some storms around that, the peak of the heat will have gone and that really is the symptomatic of a trend.
He added: "As we go into next week turning cooler, turning more unsettled, we'll wave goodbye to the heat and it's kind of business as usual with fresh conditions for all of us."
Despite the wet weather, temperatures were initially predicted to reach 33C on Saturday - the hottest temperature this year - but the latest forecast from the Met Office suggested it would reach 30C or 31C in East Anglia.
The forecast for hot weather saw the UK Health Security Agency issue yellow heat-health alerts for six regions until 9am on Sunday: London, the South East, East Midlands, West Midlands, east of England and Yorkshire and the Humber.
Meanwhile flash flooding is expected to cause damage to some buildings, with lightning, hail and strong winds also on the cards.
Read more: When is the 40 degree heatwave? Met Office forecast soaring temperatures
Read more: 'Danger to life' as thunderstorms and torrential rain set to sweep UK
Power cuts might occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost, the Met Office warned.
Simon Partridge, Met Office forecaster, said: "On Saturday we've got very warm, very muggy, very humid air across the UK, we now have this cold front which is just starting to move into the warm muggy air.
"Thunderstorms started from about 7am, there's been very heavy downpours already, we're expecting it to continue throughout the afternoon, the main focus will be the north of the Midlands.
"Heavy downpours are possible, particularly if you get two or three together in the space of a couple of hours.
"There is the potential for up to 50mm of rain in a few spots, most likely heavy downpours and difficult driving conditions.
"We will be keeping an eye on it in case there's a need to upgrade the warning this afternoon to amber."
