WEATHER forecasters have issued a 10-hour thunderstorm warning for large swathes of Britain this weekend.
Residents of Birmingham, Manchester, and Cardiff can expect spray and sudden flooding, which could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures on Sunday from midday to 10pm.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather thunderstorm warning for Sunday
GettyForecasters have issued a 10-hour thunderstorm warning for Britain (file image)[/caption]
©Graham HuntBeachgoers in Weymouth are seen sunbathing and enjoying the sunshine today[/caption]
LNPA woman cools off in front of a large industrial fan at a Tube station[/caption]
Parts of Northern Ireland, western England and most of Wales can also expect to be hit by stormy weather.
The Met Office warned that where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services.
Fast-flowing or deep floodwater could also cause danger to life, particularly in road and railways underpasses, forecasters say.
There is also a small chance homes and business could be “flooded quickly”, with buildings facing damage from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.
The Met Office has published a map showing which areas are likely to be hit during the thunderstorm.
But today, thunder clouds are far from the minds of most Britons as the country races out to beaches to soak up some spring sunshine.
Morning mist and fog patches soon gave way to a fine warm day, with plenty of sunshine across the country.
Met Office forcasters said it could perhaps be cloudier at times across the far northeast of Scotland, with any early rain quickly clearing from here.
This evening will still see “plenty of evening sunshine, then dry overnight with prolonged clear spells”, they said.
With light winds, there will be some mist and fog patches forming in places.
Saturday will see a warm sunny day for many, though some patchy coastal mist is possible in places.
A few heavy afternoon showers or thunderstorms will be developing across northern England and southern Scotland, heralding the yellow weather warning for Britons on Sunday.
The long-range forecast in full
Today
Morning mist and fog patches are giving way to a fine warm day, with plenty of sunshine across the country.
Perhaps cloudier at times across the far northeast of Scotland, with any early rain quickly clearing from here.
This evening
Plenty of evening sunshine, then dry overnight with prolonged clear spells. With light winds, there will be some mist and fog patches forming in places.
Saturday
A warm sunny day for many, though some patchy coastal mist is possible in places.
A few heavy afternoon showers or thunderstorms developing across northern England and southern Scotland.
Sunday to Tuesday
A warm and humid day on Sunday, with an increasing risk of thunderstorms.
Turning cooler through Monday and Tuesday, with showers and longer spells of rain.
Winds increasing too.
15 May – 24 May
This period is expected to see low pressure dominating parts of the UK at first, bringing widely unsettled conditions.
Most areas will be affected by showers, which could in a few places be heavy, slow-moving, with thunder and possibly hail, or even longer spells of rain at first, the Met Office says.
Winds will mostly be light, with temperatures up to slightly above average for the time of year.
Heading into the next weekend and beyond, forecasters’ confidence falls significantly, but the weather is more likely to turn a “little less unsettled”.
There will be a greater chance of longer drier interludes between further rain or showers.
Temperatures overall most likely to be a little above average but the chances of any prolonged settled, dry or hot weather are lower than normal.
24 May – 7 June
At the start of this period, the weather will probably continue to be fairly unsettled, with rain or showers for many.
There will also be some sunny spells between, with slightly-above average temperatures.
Around the end of May and into early June there are some tentative signs that conditions could become a little more settled, however this does not rule out further spells of rain or showers moving through at times.
Dan CharityHampton pool Life Guard Bella Farrelly, 21, sunbathing in the hot weather[/caption]
Met OfficeWestern parts of Northern Ireland can also expect to be hit by thunderstorms[/caption]
Paddleboarders make the most of the sunshine at Tynemouth Longsands beachNNP
LNPBrits enjoy the hot weather at Hathersage Swimming Pool today[/caption]
BNPSPeople enjoy the hot weather and bright sunshine on the beach in Bournemouth[/caption]
Paul EdwardsBritons are seen enjoying the sunshine at Southend-on-Sea in Essex[/caption]