A weather alert warning of heavy rain and possible flooding has been issued for Greater Manchester.
A yellow weather alert, warning of thunderstorms, is in place for today (June 24), from 12am until 12pm.
A spokesman for the Met Office said there could be isolated heavy thunderstorms from midday and forecasters are warning there could be flooding to homes and businesses, disruption to train and bus services as well as a slight risk of power cuts. However, the worst of the weather is expected to clear in northern areas by the afternoon.
A statement on the Met Office website said:
“An area of heavy thundery rain is expected to move northwards across England and Wales during Monday, probably clearing northern England through the course of the afternoon.
“Isolated heavy thunderstorms may then develop across parts of England and Wales during the afternoon. Further heavy thundery rain may then arrive into parts of southern and southeastern England and East Anglia during the evening.
“In areas affected by the thundery rain, 15 to 30mm may fall widely and 30 to 40mm of rain may fall over parts of northern England. In areas affected by isolated heavy thunderstorms, 30 to 40mm of rain may fall in an hour in a few places.”
There is also a yellow warning in place for tomorrow (June 25) from 12am to 12pm. The worst of the weather expected to hit during morning rush hour and the warning area covers Greater Manchester, Warrington, Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire.
Forecasters have warned that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds. There is also a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life.
The Met Office said spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures. Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services. There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost
A statement read:
“Areas of heavy rain may affect some areas. Around 15 to 20 mm of rain may fall in an hour, with 30 to 40 mm in three to four hours possible in a few places.”
But it’s not all bad news! Forecasters say the rest of the week should be dry and sunny, with highs of 24C by the end of the week.
[Feature image: shannonrbartlett]