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Met Office Issues Thunderstorm Warning As UK Braces Post-Heatwave Washout
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Although temperatures are dropping across the UK, the turbulent weather isn't just over yet, as the Met Office has now issued a thunderstorm warning for some parts of the country.
The heatwave saw temperatures reach 40C for the first time ever on Tuesday, 19 July, following the forecaster's rare red extreme heat warning.
Just as the UK attempts to recover from the disruption caused, parts of south west and south east England and areas in Wales have now been issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for tomorrow, 22 July, between 10:00am and 10:00pm.
As outlined by the Met Office: "While some areas will remain dry, slow moving, heavy thunderstorms are likely to develop from mid to late morning, likely peaking during the afternoon and early evening before decaying later.
"Where thunderstorms do occur, 20-25 mm of rain is possible in less than an hour, and 40-50 mm could fall in 2 or 3 hours. Hail and frequent lightning are potential additional hazards."
The weather service went on to note that areas affected by the post-heatwave washout could experience 'difficult driving conditions and some road closures' due to sudden flooding.
If flooding or lightning strikes occur, there could also be power cuts and further disruption to public transport.
Should a thunderstorm or heavy rainfall hit your area, be sure to be cautious when out and about, seek shelter if there's lightning and avoid starting any journeys until it has cleared.
It comes after soaring temperatures led to a range of issues across the country, from melted plane runways to devastating wildfires.
The record-breaking heat has reignited climate change concerns, something Dr Nikos Christidis - climate attribution scientist at the Met Office - was on hand to discuss.
"In a recent study we found that the likelihood of extremely hot days in the UK has been increasing and will continue to do so during the course of the century, with the most extreme temperatures expected to be observed in the southeast of England," he said.
"Climate change has already influenced the likelihood of temperature extremes in the UK.
🌡️ For the first time ever, 40 Celsius has provisionally been exceeded in the UK
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 19, 2022
London Heathrow reported a temperature of 40.2°C at 12:50 today
📈 Temperatures are still climbing in many places, so remember to stay #WeatherAware ⚠️#heatwave #heatwave2022 pic.twitter.com/GLxcR6gjZX
"The chances of seeing 40C days in the UK could be as much as 10 times more likely in the current climate than under a natural climate unaffected by human influence.
"The likelihood of exceeding 40C anywhere in the UK in a given year has also been rapidly increasing, and, even with current pledges on emissions reductions, such extremes could be taking place every 15 years in the climate of 2100."
