The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for Northern Ireland and parts of England and Wales, with heavy rain, hail, and gusty winds expected on Tuesday.
Warning details
The warning covers all six counties of Northern Ireland from 12pm to 9pm on Tuesday. Forecasters said showers will develop in the morning, becoming heavy and locally thundery into the afternoon, bringing 20-30mm of rain in an hour or two. Strong and gusty winds and hail are also possible with the heaviest showers.
The forecaster warned that a few homes and businesses could be flooded, while spray, standing water, and hail may make driving hazardous. Delays to train services, lightning damage, and short-term power cuts are also possible.
Affected areas
Forecast maps show rain spreading into western Scotland, Northern Ireland, northwest England, and Wales early on Tuesday before becoming more widespread across Scotland and northern England by midday.
The full list of areas forecast to see the heaviest rain includes: Western Scotland, Central Scotland, Northern Scotland, Northeastern Scotland, the Highlands, the Western Isles, Shetland, Northern Ireland (including County Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone), Northwest England, Northern England, Western Pennines, Northeast England, North Wales, Western Wales, and isolated parts of southern England (with scattered showers and thunderstorms).
Advice
The forecaster urged people to consider whether they are at risk of flash flooding and prepare accordingly. It also advised anyone who hears thunder while outdoors to seek shelter in a safe enclosed building or vehicle and avoid standing near trees because of the risk of lightning strikes.
Much of southern England is expected to remain largely dry, although scattered showers and the odd thunderstorm could develop later in the day. By the evening, the heaviest rain is forecast to persist across parts of Scotland, while showers linger across Northern Ireland and northern England before gradually easing from the west overnight.
