Warning: Yellow
To expect: Thunderstorms
Affected areas: South West England, Wales, West Midlands
Start time estimate: Thursday 1am
End time estimate: Thursday 8pm
The Met Office has issued an updated Yellow thunderstorm warning for several regions across the UK for Thursday.
The warning is covering parts of South West England, Wales, West Midlands. All local areas affected are listed below.
An updated Yellow weather warning is in place during Thursday, starting from around 1am and running until 8pm. Forecasters say the impacted regions can expect to see frequent lightning strikes and heavy downpours.
The updated Yellow alert for thunderstorms was announced at 11:45am on Wednesday, June 11.
A Met Office forecast said: “An area of rain will continue northwards across parts of southwest England and Wales during Thursday. The rain will be locally heavy. A few places may see 10-20 mm of rain in an hour, and 30-40 mm in 3 hours or less, leading to a risk of disruption. There is a chance of some thunderstorms forming within this area, particularly during the afternoon. Winds will also be strong at times, perhaps gusting to 40-50 mph around hills and coasts.”
What to expect
Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures; Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services; There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost; There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.
What should you do during intense thunderstorms?
Keep yourself and others safe; prepare to avoid travelling by road during potentially dangerous road conditions. If you must travel, ensure you watch for possible danger and drive cautiously. It is not safe to drive, walk or swim through floodwater, avoid it where possible and if you are affected by fast flowing or deep-water call 999, and wait for help. Being outside in high winds and/or lightning makes you more vulnerable to injury. If outside, try not to walk, or shelter, close to buildings or trees, or other structures which could be struck by lightning. If you hear thunder, and are unable to get to a safe enclosed shelter (such as a car), crouch down in a ball-like position with your head tucked in and hands over your ears making minimal contact with the ground, away from objects that conduct electricity. Before gusty winds arrive, check to ensure moveable objects or temporary structures are well secured. Items include; bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, gazebos, sheds, and fences. Stay up to date with the weather forecast for your area and follow advice from emergency services and local authorities. For further details see Met Office Warnings & Advice.
Full list of local areas affected
South West England
Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Torbay
Wales
Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan
West Midlands
Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire
What is an updated yellow weather warning?
The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area.
A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.
An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk.
A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling.
The Yellow weather alert for thunderstorms will remain in effect until 8pm on Thursday.