Met Office warns of severe weather across large parts of UK on Tuesday and Wednesday

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The Met Office has warned that thunderstorms and severe weather across much of the UK could cause flooding in some areas.

Travel disruption was also a possibility, the forecaster said. There was a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly during thundery downpours, with lightning strikes, hail and strong winds expected.

Power cuts and difficult driving conditions were also possible, and 20mm to 30mm (0.8-1.2in) of rain could fall in an hour in some areas.

Met Office severe weather warnings covered swaths of England, Wales and Scotland across Tuesday and Wednesday. The area affected by Tuesday’s warning has been extended, with storms expected to hit more of the country than previously thought.

Calmer conditions are forecast from Thursday, with sunny spells and occasional showers predicted for many.

Last week, the UK was basking in a heatwave and a 38.7C (101.7F) reading in Cambridge set a temperature record, exceeding the previous high of 38.5C near Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.

Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands also broke national heat records last week as hot weather spread across central and western Europe.

Experts warn that global warming caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, which are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is making heatwaves more likely and more intense.