The Met Office has identified 33 counties across Scotland and Northern Ireland that could experience thundery downpours, lightning and hail on Wednesday. The warning follows a drop in temperatures to the mid-to-low 20s nationwide after last week's record-breaking 38C heat.
Heavy showers forecast for Scotland and Northern Ireland
In the Met Office's afternoon video forecast, meteorologist Rachel Davis said that on Wednesday morning, "some heavier bursts [are expected] particularly across high ground in the north of England, where it will also be quite murky to start on Wednesday." She added that there would be "some clearer spells across Wales and central parts of England into the early hours of Wednesday, but greater clear spells across Scotland where it could feel quite cool in places - particularly rural areas."
Substantial showers are then forecast for Scotland and Northern Ireland later in the day. Davis continued: "Rain across the south-east to start Wednesday morning, generally clearing away as we go into rush hour, a few showers starting to develop across England and Wales - but the heaviest and most frequent showers [later] on Wednesday will be across Scotland and Northern Ireland, where we could see some thunder, lightning and hail."
Counties on alert
The Met Office forecast maps indicate that 33 counties throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland may be affected. The counties are: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Tyrone, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyllshire, Ayrshire, Banffshire, Buteshire, Caithness, Clackmannanshire, Dumfriesshire, Dunbartonshire, Fife, Inverness-shire, Kincardineshire, Kinross-shire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Lanarkshire, Midlothian, Moray, Nairnshire, Peeblesshire, Perthshire, Renfrewshire, Ross-shire, Stirlingshire, Sutherland, West Lothian, and Wigtownshire.
BBC Weather outlook
BBC Weather similarly predicts lightning and hail are likely on Wednesday. Its forecast reads: "Tomorrow, there will be a mixture of sunny spells, areas of variable cloud, and scattered showers. The showers will be heavy in the north with a chance of lightning and hail. Drier in the south."
Looking ahead to the rest of the week, it notes: "Thursday will be another day of sunny spells and scattered showers. The showers look to become locally heavy in the afternoon in the south, with a risk of thunder and hail. Friday will see a continuation of the sunny spells and showers."
