Festivalgoers at Reading and Leeds were pictured wearing ponchos and wellies as heavy rain affected outdoor events, while the Met Office issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms and heavy showers until 9pm on Saturday. The warning raises the risk of local flooding, travel disruption and difficult driving conditions across a broad area of England and Wales.

The affected area runs from south-west England and parts of Wales through the Midlands to eastern England, with some places potentially receiving 15–25mm of rain in an hour and 30mm over two to three hours, alongside hail and lightning. Four mainly Midlands areas were under Environment Agency flood alerts, and gusts of 35–40mph were possible along the south coast; the unsettled weather follows a notably hot, dry summer that has included five heatwaves and a London high of 38.1C.