The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning as stormy weather with rain and hail is expected to impact a large area of the UK.
According to the latest alert that took effect just after 8 am, heavy rain, lightning, and hail are forecasted to hit parts of the UK on Sunday and persist until at least midday. The weather warning encompasses areas such as Gloucester, Bath, Salisbury, Newport, and nearly 20 other localities, affecting a significant number of residents.
Forecasters have cautioned about challenging driving conditions and a slight possibility of power outages, property flooding, damage from water, lightning strikes, hail, strong winds, and potential disruptions to transportation services by train and bus.
A belt of intense rain and thunderstorms is set to progress northward across the affected regions, with some areas likely to receive more than an inch of rain during downpours accompanied by frequent lightning and hail, as stated by the Met Office.
In a statement, the Met Office mentioned, “A belt of intense rain and thunderstorms will pass northward through the area, bringing one to two hours of heavy rain before moving away. Some areas could see 30-40mm (1 to 1.5 inches) of rain in this period, along with a risk of frequent lightning and hail.”
Meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer remarked, “It’s a very windy start for many of us this morning, especially in the west where coastal gales have been observed. Strong winds are expected to persist through much of Sunday.”
She added, “Eastern regions are starting off brighter this morning, with plenty of hazy sunshine expected in the afternoon. However, the western areas will experience wetter conditions, with heavy, showery rain moving northward as the afternoon progresses.” This weather pattern precedes the occurrence of a total lunar eclipse known as the “blood moon,” visible in parts of England and Wales on Sunday night.
During the eclipse, the moon will appear deep red as the Earth aligns between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow on the lunar surface for the first time since 2022.
The eclipse is anticipated to be visible around 7:30 pm where skies are clear. Nonetheless, some regions may face obscured views due to forecasted unsettled conditions in the coming days, as per the long-range prediction from the Met Office for September 11 to 20.
The forecast indicates, “The upcoming period is expected to begin with unsettled weather due to prevailing low pressure systems. Showers or prolonged rainy spells are likely to affect most parts of the UK intermittently. Some regions may experience heavy rain or showers, particularly in the west and north. Thunderstorms, hail, and strong winds are also potential occurrences, especially if deep low-pressure systems impact the UK. Towards the latter part of the period, there could be more prolonged periods of dry weather, particularly in southern regions, with increased sunshine due to higher pressure. Overall, temperatures are forecasted to be near average or slightly below, with occasional increases during drier, sunnier intervals.”