The Met Office has issued a rare amber weather warning for severe thunderstorms impacting parts of southern and eastern England, including the eastern edge of Oxfordshire. Active from 4am to 11am on Saturday, this alert accompanies several other yellow warnings in locations such as Gloucestershire.
Forecasters warn that intense rainfall could cause significant flooding, posing a danger to life. Key urban areas under the warning include London, Brighton, Portsmouth, Chelmsford, St Albans, and Cambridge.
Heavy rain combined with embedded thunderstorms may lead to sudden flooding of roads and homes, while isolating some rural communities. Additionally, disruption to rail and bus services is anticipated. Power outages and structural damage caused by floodwater, lightning, hail, and strong winds are also potential hazards.
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The Met Office detailed: “Heavy rain with embedded thunderstorms will move northwards early Saturday morning, with downpours potentially depositing 20-40 mm in just one hour. Persistent heavy rainfall may accumulate between 70 and 100 mm over a few hours. These conditions could cause serious impacts, especially in urban centres.”
Although the widespread heavy rain is expected to clear by Saturday late morning, scattered showers and additional thunderstorms may develop throughout the afternoon and early evening, covered by an ongoing broad yellow thunderstorm warning.
The National Weather Agency emphasized the heightened risk of power outages as torrential rain affects large parts of the country. Flooding is likely to create hazardous driving conditions, and public transport may face delays and cancellations.
The severe weather event could also inflict damage on residential and commercial buildings. Showers and thunderstorms are projected to continue into Sunday, moving northward during the day.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Andy Page commented: “Thunderstorms moving in from France will bring intense rainfall to parts of the UK. The amber warning for southeast England and London reflects the heavy downpours, surface flooding, frequent lightning, and hail expected.”
He advised the public to stay updated on weather developments, especially as summer holidays commence and roads become busier. Despite these unsettled conditions, some areas will experience brief sunny spells throughout the weekend.
The changeable weather is likely to persist into next week, with further chances of showers and thunderstorms across various regions. The Met Office forecast suggests a gradual weather stabilization from midweek, starting in the west, though eastern areas might still see occasional rain. Temperatures are expected to hover around or just above average, with warmer, sunnier conditions possible in some locations.
These wet conditions follow closely after drought declarations in the East and West Midlands, as well as the North West and Yorkshire, regions that have endured a prolonged dry period and record-breaking heat. The National Drought Group has intensified its response due to worsening conditions since early June.
England experienced the driest spring in over a century, followed by the hottest June on record, making this sudden shift to severe storms particularly notable.