Severe UK weather warnings issued as thunderstorms and torrential downpours set to hit parts of Britain – but 34C London will still bake
Blazing heatwave set to end with a bang with lightning storms and nearly a month's rain in an hour
THE blazing heatwave is about to end with a bang as thunderstorms and torrential rain lash much of the UK from tomorrow - but London will be hotter than the Sahara in sweltering 34C heat.
The Met Office issued a yellow severe weather warning covering the whole of the Midlands and North of England as well as parts of Wales and the Scottish Borders, with three weeks' worth of rain likely to fall in an hour in worst hit places.
Beaches have been packed as most of Britain baked in the longest heatwave for 22 years, with a top temperature of 32.5 (90.5F) recorded in West London on Monday.
But lightning storms and intense downpours of up to 40mm (an inch and a half) of rain will sweep across the country from early Wednesday and into early Thursday.
And there is even a chance of hailstones and forecasters warned of possible flooding and disruption to travel.
The Met Office warning for Wednesday says: “Disruption may include sudden localised flooding of transport routes, homes and businesses.”
Forecaster Grahame Madge said: "Quite a heavy belt of thundery showers will be moving eastwards and that behind it will pull in slightly cooler fresher air.
"Torrential downpours on Wednesday will affect some locations in the Midlands and North, with extensive thunderstorms, up to 40mm of rain in an hour and frequent lightning. This will obviously lead to disruption."
But in the South the sizzling heatwave is sure to continue and temperatures on Wednesday could push close to the all-time June record of 35.6C set during the great drought of 1976.
Druids celebrating the summer solstice at Stonehenge tomorrow will enjoy weather hotter than 32C Tamanrasset in Algeria, in the Sahara Desert.
Mr Madge said: “Temperatures are already high and could go higher, with a chance of 34C on Wednesday in the South.
“People should take care in the heat, drink plenty of water and avoid excessive exercise.
“The Glastonbury Festival looks like seeing 30C on Wednesday and the outside possibility of a thunderstorm, with light rain on Saturday."
The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: “36C highs are shown on some computer models in the South on Wednesday, which would be a June record. The heat will feel like a sauna in the sun.”
MetDesk said: “We’re likely to see the hottest ever summer solstice.”
The forecast for later in the week shows cooler temperatures in the aftermath of the storm, with a fresher more Atlantic feel going into the weekend.
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