UK facing weekend of thunderstorms and heavy rain

Thunderstorms have hit southern parts of the UK with one confirmed tornado in Aldershot.

More storms and heavy rain are expected over the weekend with yellow Met Office warnings in force.

On Saturday there is the risk of lightning, intense rainfall, hail and gusty winds across Wales, central and southern England.

By Sunday, further heavy rain will spread with continued risk of localised flooding and travel disruption.

On Friday and into the early hours of Saturday, around 8,000 lightning strikes were recorded across southern England.

Intense downpours brought some localised flash flooding.

Damage was also reported in Hampshire where the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation confirmed a tornado ripped through Aldershot.

Further thunderstorms on Saturday could bring similar conditions with a yellow warning from the Met Office valid all day for Wales, central and southern England.

Gusty winds and hail may accompany the downpours, with the possibility of local flash flooding.

However, thunderstorms will be hit or miss, meaning that some locations will escape them altogether. Where they do occur, as much as 50mm (2in) of rain could fall.

Heavy showers and storms will continue through the night into Sunday where there is another Met Office yellow warning for rain valid all day.

Not everywhere will experience bad weather, however.

Throughout the weekend and into early next week, Scotland, Northern Ireland and areas around the Irish Sea are expected to experience drier and calmer conditions.

There will be plenty of sunshine and pleasant temperatures. However, make the most of it, as it will not be long before the autumn chill arrives.

With the autumn equinox on Sunday – 22 September – it seems that Mother Nature has decided to end summer right on cue.

A change of wardrobe is inevitable for all of us next week. As the winds eventually swing from the north, cooler air will move in as low pressure systems bring widespread cloud and rain.

Daytime temperatures will typically range from 12C in Scotland to perhaps 16C along the England Channel coast. By mid-week, there is a risk of gales and even colder northerly winds.

However, it is entirely possible that an occasional spell of warmer weather may appear during October, which has historically even brought the odd hot spell.

Keep up with our latest thoughts on the coming weeks with our monthly outlook.