The warning is in effect for the Highlands and Eilean Siar and will go into effect from 5pm today until 10pm tonight. The With Office said: “Thunderstorms currently hitting mainland Scotland are expected to cross Orkney in the late afternoon and early evening. Some downpours are likely with 25 to 50mm of rain possible in a few places. Frequent lightning and hail are additional hazards.”
The bottom line is parts of the UK have been given an orange warning of extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 32C.
The Met Office announced earlier today that the heat wave will break with thunderstorms in Scotland, while the rest of the UK expects storms tomorrow.
They wrote on Twitter: “The #heat wave begins to break with thunderstorms over Scotland, as evidenced by the latest radar sequence.
“Over the next few days, severe thunderstorms and thunderstorms will spread across the country as hot conditions recede.”
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The Met Office warned that thunderstorms could cause some travel disruption and flooding in some areas.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “The current warm weather will give way to a thunderstorm from the west, which will spread south and east early next week. Prior to this, there are possible isolated but severe thunderstorms on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
“The warnings highlight the possibility that in some places around 50mm of rain will fall in a three-hour period in the north, while some areas further south may see around 30mm of rain in a three-hour period. Hail and frequent lightning are also possible as part of these downpours and pose an additional hazard.”
And the heat wave isn’t over yet, with temperatures still reaching a high 20 degrees tomorrow in the south of the UK.
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Forecasters have warned that while some are looking forward to the downpours and storms, there is a risk of flooding due to the drought.
A spokesman said: “With England having had its driest July since 1935, some locations, especially in the south, could be grateful for some rain, but these thunderstorms present the possibility of some surface water overflowing as the heavy rainfall on too dry soil is often not absorbed.”
dr. Rob Thompson, of the University of Reading’s meteorology department, posted a video on Twitter showing how different grass surfaces absorb rain.
He told the Independent: “Experience around the world has shown what can happen when heavy rains follow a very dry and hot period that has baked the ground hard. The water can’t get in easily, most of it just flows straight from off the surface, which can quickly turn into flash floods.”