Thunderstorms and heavy rain to batter UK

LONDON: Thunderstorms and heavy rain were forecast to lash the UK over the weekend, triggering warnings of flooding and travel disruption.

The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for large swathes of England and Wales on both Saturday and Sunday. Flooding could cause roads to close, while extreme weather may damage buildings and cause power cuts and cancellations to train and bus services.

Forecasters also expect the weekend to be much cooler, following a week of hot and humid weather, with top temperatures reaching the mid-twenties. The south of England and Wales are likely to be the wettest areas, with frequent lightning, gusty winds and heavy downpours with 30 to 40mm of rain possible in less than an hour, according to the Met Office. Five flood alert warnings have been issued across the West Midlands by the Environment Agency. However, areas in Scotland and north western England and Northern Ireland are expected to stay dry with a few sunny spells, following a week of heavy rain.