The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms covering 75 areas of England and Wales from midnight into Friday morning, with forecasters warning of lightning, torrential downpours and flooding. The warning is in force until 10am across most affected areas, while a separate yellow thunderstorm warning covering large parts of Scotland remains in place until 11.59pm on Friday.
Forecast Details and Hazards
Forecasters say that although many places will escape the worst weather, those caught beneath thunderstorms could see travel disruption, power cuts, and flash flooding. The Met Office warns there is a slight chance of flooding to homes and businesses, a risk of lightning strikes, hail and strong wind gusts, potential delays to trains and buses, difficult driving conditions due to spray and surface water, and a small chance of power cuts.
Scotland Faces Extended Warning
While much of England and Wales sees warnings expire by 10am, parts of Scotland face a much longer spell of unsettled weather. The yellow warning stretches until 11.59pm on Friday, meaning some communities could experience thunderstorms on and off throughout the day. The warning covers much of western and central Scotland, including the Glasgow area.
Full List of Areas Under Warning
The Met Office has named the following areas under the yellow thunderstorm warning: Derby, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Halton, Lancashire, Merseyside, Warrington, Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Torbay, Wiltshire, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Wrexham, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands Conurbation, Worcestershire, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and York.
Storms Developing Overnight
The Met Office says thunderstorms developing overnight into Friday morning could bring a range of hazards despite many places staying dry. Residents in affected areas are advised to prepare for potential disruptions and to monitor local weather updates.
