The Met Office has warned that thunderstorms and flooding could pose a danger to life in parts of the UK this weekend. An amber thunderstorm warning has been issued for London and much of south-east England from 4am to 11am on Saturday, with heavy rain expected to cause 'fast flowing or deep flood water'.
Yellow thunderstorm warnings are in place across much of England until 9pm, with 15 to 25mm of rain possible in under an hour. Scotland has a yellow warning for rain from 4pm on Saturday until midday on Sunday. The storms, moving in from France, could lead to significant surface water flooding, particularly in urban areas.
Frequent lightning and localised surface water are also possible, and motorists have been urged to take care. The weekend is expected to be busy on the roads as many schools in England and Wales break for the summer holidays. The Met Office said flooding of homes and businesses was likely and could happen quickly, and that some communities may be cut off should roads flood.
London is particularly susceptible to surface water issues during thunderstorms due to the prevalence of impermeable surfaces. Under the amber warning, 20 to 40mm of rain could fall in an hour, with as much as 70 to 100mm accumulating in a few hours where heavy downpours persist. The Met Office's chief meteorologist, Andy Page, noted that the situation is evolving and warnings may be changed or added.
Despite the storms, there will be spells of more pleasant weather in parts of the UK through the weekend, with some sunny spells. Temperatures are expected to stay in the high teens to low 20s, but could reach mid to high 20s in the south during brighter spells. The amber warning is the first for London since January 2024, when Storm Henk swept through central England and Wales.
