Heavy Showers and Thunderstorms to Hit South West England, Possible Flooding and Disruption

Parts of the south west of England could be hit by flooding over the weekend due to heavy showers and thunderstorms. The Met Office has issued a yellow warning of rain for the region, with areas in the south of England, the Midlands, the north of England, and eastern parts of Wales expected to experience thundery downpours on Sunday. The storms could lead to flooding, power cuts, difficult driving conditions, and cancellations to public transportation.

Key Takeaways:

• The Met Office has issued a yellow warning of rain for the south west of England, indicating a "small chance of flooding and disruption from heavy showers and thunderstorms" on Sunday.
• Thundery downpours are expected to hit the south of England, the Midlands, the north of England, and eastern parts of Wales on Sunday, with 30 to 40 mm of rain potentially falling in less than an hour in some areas.
• The storms could lead to flooding, power cuts, difficult driving conditions, and cancellations to public transportation, including train and bus services.
• The Met Office notes that there is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail, or strong winds.
• Frequent lightning strikes and hail will be additional hazards, most likely across southern and central England.
• The Met Office statistics show that summer in the UK has been cooler than usual, with "slightly below average sun" and average rainfall.

Statistics:

• 30 to 40 mm of rain may fall in less than an hour in areas where the storms occur.
• 75 mm of rain could fall in one or two places, leading to a chance of flooding and disruption.
• A yellow warning of rain has been issued by the Met Office for the south west of England region.
• 7 consecutive days of temperatures above 30C occurred somewhere in the UK in September last year.

Sources:

• Met Office spokesman, as cited in the article.
• Met Office statistics on UK summer weather, as cited in the article.