In classic British style, after a long dry summer, the rain has arrived. Not only has the rain arrived, but a pretty hefty thunderstorm warning, covering much of the country, including the North West, across today (26 August) and tomorrow (27 August).
A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office for both days, including Greater Manchester. The Met Office states the following:
“A broad band of thunderstorms and heavy rain will move north across England and Wales, perhaps becoming slow moving in the afternoon and evening. Accumulations of 20-30 mm in three hours can be expected fairly widely and up to 50 mm in a 12 hour period can be expected in places.
“There is a small chance that some places may see more than 50 mm in three hours and more than 75 mm through 12 hours, especially over east facing high ground. Lightning and hail of 1-2 cm will also be hazards and, in a very few places, strong gusts may also present a hazard, these most likely in the south of England early on Thursday morning.”
Across North West England this will affect:
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Blackpool
- Cheshire East
- Cheshire West and Chester
- Cumbria
- Greater Manchester
- Halton
- Lancashire
- Merseyside
- Warrington
The yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in effect until 10pm today (26 August), and 6am-10pm tomorrow (27 August).
Temperatures are set to remain warm, with highs of around 22°C-24°C.
Will the thunderstorms lead to flooding?
While there is some concern given the dense, dry earth after drought, the Met Office states that there is only “a small risk of flooding and disruption from thunderstorms on Wednesday.”
The Met Office also warns the following:
- There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes or hail
- Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services
- Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
- There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost
Stay up to date on weather warnings and get the latest advice on the Met Office website.
