A 19-hour yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued by the Met Office for large parts of the UK, including Greater Manchester, with heavy rain and flooding possible from the early hours of Wednesday morning (August 26).
The warning comes into force at 3am on Wednesday, August 26, and lasts until 10pm the same day. It covers 66 areas across England and Wales, where there is a "small risk of flooding and disruption from thunderstorms," according to the UK weather agency.
Heavy rain and potential travel disruption
The Met Office said heavy and persistent rain is forecast throughout the day, which may lead to some delays and cancellations on train and bus services. The warning description reads: "A band of thunderstorms and heavy rain will move north across England and Wales, perhaps becoming slow moving in the afternoon and evening."
Accumulations of 20-30 mm in three hours can be expected fairly widely, with up to 50 mm in a 12-hour period possible in places. There is a small chance some areas may see more than 50 mm in three hours and more than 75 mm through 12 hours, especially over east-facing high ground. Lightning and hail of 1-2 cm are also listed as hazards.
Drought conditions persist
The heavy downpours come as parts of England and all of Wales remain in a drought after months of heatwaves and dry conditions. Greater Manchester remains in the stage before a drought, known as prolonged dry weather, and people in the north west have been advised by water supplier United Utilities to continue to "use water wisely."
Full list of 66 affected areas
East Midlands: Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Rutland.
East of England: Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk.
London & South East England: Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire.
North West England: Blackburn with Darwen, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Greater Manchester, Halton, Lancashire, Merseyside, Warrington.
South West England: Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Wiltshire.
Wales: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, Wrexham.
West Midlands: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands Conurbation, Worcestershire.
Yorkshire & Humber: East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, York.
