The Met Office is urging people across large parts of England and Wales to consider preparing an “emergency” kit for Thursday, as heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast.
Two weather warnings for thunderstorms have been issued, one for today and one for Thursday. Today’s warning, in force until 10pm, covers parts of southern, eastern and central England as well as parts of Wales, including cities such as London and Birmingham.
Thursday warning details
A larger warning comes into force at 6am on Thursday and lasts until 10pm. It covers parts of England and Wales, with as much as 75mm of rain possible across 12 hours. The warning also highlights risks of lightning strikes, hail, floods and power cuts.
People in the warning area are urged to consider preparing for the extreme weather. The Met Office advises: “Consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit” for areas prone to flash flooding.
What to include in a flood kit
The Met Office recommends including insurance documents and a list of contact numbers, a torch and spare batteries, a first aid kit and any prescription medicines, warm waterproof clothes and blankets, bottled water and snacks, a battery or wind-up radio, and supplies for looking after a baby or pet.
The warning also advises securing moveable objects or temporary structures before strong winds arrive, including bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, gazebos, sheds and fences. People are also urged to prepare for potential power cuts by gathering torches, batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
Areas covered
The Thursday warning covers 73 areas, all in England or Wales. These include Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Halton, Lancashire, Merseyside, Warrington, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Wiltshire, and all counties in Wales including Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Wrexham and Powys, as well as 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.
Forecast and temperatures
The Met Office says “slow-moving heavy and thundery rain” is likely on Thursday, with “unsettled conditions” possibly continuing into Friday and the weekend. The weekend outlook states: “Low pressure systems will continue to bring rain and heavy showers across many areas through this period. Temperatures trending nearer to average, but feeling warm in the sunnier moments.”
Temperatures should peak at 27C on Thursday, with 26C on Friday and Saturday, and 25C on Sunday.
