Met Office issues thunderstorm warning for London with flooding fears as two inches of rain set to fall on parched ground in just two hours
The Met Office has issued two yellow thunderstorm warnings covering much of England, including London, and Wales, as forecasters predict intense rain that could bring flash flooding to ground parched by an unusually dry summer. The first warning runs from 3am to 10pm on Tuesday, followed by a second from 6am to 10pm on Thursday covering a wider swathe of Wales and northern England, with officials warning of flooded homes, transport disruption, road closures and possible power cuts.
Forecasters expect up to 50mm of rain to fall in two to three hours in places on Tuesday, with some east-facing high ground potentially seeing over 75mm across 12 hours on Thursday, alongside hail up to 2cm. The downpours follow England's driest July on record and a drought affecting nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales, with 28 million people under hosepipe bans; some areas, such as Wisley in Surrey, went 62 consecutive days without rain. The Met Office has urged residents in at-risk areas to prepare flood plans and emergency kits, and to shelter in enclosed spaces such as cars rather than under trees during thunderstorms.
- Met Office issues yellow thunderstorm warnings for Tuesday and Thursday
- Up to 75mm of rain could fall on drought-hit ground in 12 hours
- Flash flooding, travel disruption and power cuts are possible
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This drought and flash-flood combination has become a recurring pattern in the UK this year, with the Met Office repeatedly issuing warnings as long dry spells give way to sudden, intense downpours. Yellow warnings are the lowest of the Met Office's three-tier alert system (yellow, amber, red), meaning disruption is likely but not guaranteed everywhere within the warning area.
Flash flooding happens because ground that has been baked hard by weeks without rain cannot absorb water quickly, so even short bursts of heavy rain run off into drains, roads and rivers rather than soaking in, increasing the risk of sudden localised flooding. Hosepipe bans, meanwhile, are restrictions imposed by water companies during droughts that stop households using hoses for things like watering gardens or washing cars, and are unrelated to whether flooding can still occur.
This matters because it illustrates how extreme weather can swing quickly between two different risks, drought and flooding, within the same summer, creating challenges for households, transport networks and emergency services that must prepare for both at once.