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THE UK could be hit with more flooding today as thunderstorms are expected to sweep in torrential rain, hail and lightning. The Met Office has issued a Yellow ‘severe’ warning for thunderstorms today, saying homes and businesses could be flooded quickly. It comes after up to 600 residents were evacuated after “unprecedented” downpours saw double […]
THE UK could be hit with more flooding today as thunderstorms are expected to sweep in torrential rain, hail and lightning.
The Met Office has issued a Yellow ‘severe’ warning for thunderstorms today, saying homes and businesses could be flooded quickly.
It comes after up to 600 residents were evacuated after “unprecedented” downpours saw double the monthly rainfall in just three days at Wainfleet, Lincolnshire.
Rescue workers in the flood-hit town yesterday pumped out enough water to fill 225 Olympic swimming pools.
Forecasters expect the south east of England will be the worst affected by the new storms, with the warning extending as far north as Hull.
“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,” the Met Office warning states.
“Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services.”
Brits were also warned about potential power cuts in homes and businesses.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill told Sun Online: “We are expecting to see the worst of the thunderstorms today, as the torrential rain sweeps in from south east England.
“There’s going to be some seriously heavy rain ranging from 15mm to even 50mm in some parts of the country.
“It’s not going to be very pleasant and you can expect slightly breezy weather, but temperatures are still going to be fairly warm, reaching highs of 24C on Tuesday in the south east.”
The yellow warning has so far been issued for Tuesday and Wednesday in the south east.
Burkill added: “We are also expecting some lightning strikes to take place which will delay and maybe even cancel travel plans.
“We urge people to take extra precautions when travelling during the warning.”
After this week’s soaking saw June on track to be the coldest in 28 years, sunshine and warmer temperatures are set to return next week.
But thunderstorms will hit from late Tuesday amid flood fears, with Atlantic fronts hitting the second half of the week and bringing a cool-down to 19C.
Sinkholes forced the M25 to close down last week as relentless thunderstorms and flash floods sparked weather warnings and travel chaos across England.
Drivers were advised to avoid all but necessary road travel after more than one month’s rain fell in just 24 hours in parts of Kent and East Sussex.
Hundreds of homes were evacuated in a Lincolnshire town following severe flooding, as the local MP has said residents are “by no means out of the woods yet”.
Residents in at least 590 homes in Wainfleet and Thorpe Culvert were told to leave as waters continued to surge on Saturday, with further heavy rain predicted.
The town first flooded on Wednesday after more than two months’ worth of rain fell in two days, causing the River Steeping to burst its banks.
On Friday, three RAF helicopters dropped 270 one-tonne sandbags in an attempt to repair the bank.
The Royal Ascot horse racing, which starts on Tuesday is set for a swelter then a squelch as rains arrive towards the end of the day.
Glastonbury Festival – due to kick off a week on Wednesday – risks mud with more showers due after 77mm of rain soaked Somerset this month, ex-BBC and Met Office forecaster John Hammond of weathertrending said.
And tennis tournament Wimbledon, which runs from July 1-14, faces rain breaks, Mr Hammond warned.
The ‘European Monsoon’ phenomenon was blamed by The Weather Outlook.
The Met Office, which says the ‘European Monsoon’ is caused by westerly winds regaining strength in late June, said the South-East is due dry periods with wet intervals into July, with the North-West wetter.
June 1-13’s average UK maximum temperature was 15.5C.
The last time the average UK maximum temperature was colder over the whole of June was 1991’s 14.8C, Met Office records show.
Met Office forecaster Steven Keates said: “Coming days will feel like summer again and be completely different to the past week.
“Very hot air from the Mediterranean will bring humidity from Monday, with 23C, then 26C and 27C not out of the question on Tuesday and 25C on Wednesday.
“But thunderstorms push across the UK from late Tuesday and through Wednesday. Weather warnings would not be a surprise.
“The Atlantic looks like dominating the second half of the week, with cooler conditions and wetter especially in the North-West.
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