A NEW map has revealed where a band of “intense and fast-moving thunderstorms” will hit today
A yellow weather warning for downpours, hail and lightning has been issued in parts of England and Wales today with the Met Office urging Brits to check if their area will be affected.
Gary StoneStorms have been forecast over the next few days[/caption]
MET OfficeA map reveals where the storms will hit today[/caption]
X/@metofficeFlash floods are expected in some parts of the UK[/caption]
Half a month’s worth of rain is expected to hit some areas, with incoming storms and floods.
Wales, the West Country, the Midlands and London will all be affected, said the Met Office, as warnings come into place from midday today to 10pm on Monday.
Residents have been advised to check the latest map to see if their area is at risk of flash flooding and to prepare a flood plan and emergency kit.
Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said: “Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop on Monday afternoon.
“Whilst these will be fairly fast-moving, rain may be intense for short periods of time and produce 20-30 mm in less than an hour, with 40-50mm within 1-2 hours in one or two places where thunderstorms grow larger.
“Lightning, hail and gusty winds will be additional hazards. Showers and thunderstorms will ease through the evening.”
She added: “There’s the possibility of flooding and disruption, that’s just going to depend on those heavy showers lingering.”
The forecaster’s map reveals which areas will suffer the biggest amount of rainfall, with the average this month hovering around 70mm.
The north west of England and southern Scotland could see scattered showers this afternoon, while from tomorrow onwards the weather is forecast to be more settled.
Temperatures will reach highs of low to mid 20s, which could mean Northern Ireland and Scotland see their hottest days of the year so far, Becky said.
Reading and Bristol areas are forecast thunderstorms today after showers started to hit yesterday.
Much of the rest of the country saw a hot and sunny weekend.
Areas affected by the warning
East Midlands
Northamptonshire
East of England
Central Bedfordshire
Essex
Hertfordshire
Luton
Thurrock
London & South East England
Bracknell Forest
Buckinghamshire
Greater London
Hampshire
Kent
Medway
Milton Keynes
Oxfordshire
Reading
Slough
Surrey
West Berkshire
Windsor and Maidenhead
Wokingham
North West England
Cheshire East
Cheshire West and Chester
South West England
Bath and North East Somerset
Bristol
Cornwall
Devon
Gloucestershire
North Somerset
Somerset
South Gloucestershire
Swindon
Wiltshire
Wales
Blaenau Gwent
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Cardiff
Carmarthenshire
Ceredigion
Conwy
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Gwynedd
Isle of Anglesey
Merthyr Tydfil
Monmouthshire
Neath Port Talbot
Newport
Pembrokeshire
Powys
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Swansea
Torfaen
Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham
West Midlands
Herefordshire
Shropshire
Staffordshire
Stoke-on-Trent
Telford and Wrekin
Warwickshire
West Midlands Conurbation
Worcestershire
According to the Environment Agency, due to the sunny start of May it has been the driest start to spring in 69 years.
The dry spell has forced farmers to start irrigating crops earlier, especially in the North East and North West of England.
The Met Office clocked an average of 228.9 hours of sunshine across the UK in April.
These figures mean it was the sunniest since records started in 1910.
And the unusually warm April followed the sunniest March.
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