Met Office daily weather: July ends with a yellow storm warning

The final day of July and the start of August bring a shift in the weather pattern across the UK

Thursday will bring a rather unsettled start to the day across much of the UK, with widespread cloud and showery outbreaks of rain moving south-eastwards. As the day progresses, these will become more scattered and showery in nature, particularly during the afternoon. However, southern, southeastern, and eastern parts of England are likely to see the development of heavier showers and thunderstorms, some of which may be intense.

A yellow thunderstorm warning is in force for much of southern England from 10am to 9pm, with the potential for localised flooding, travel disruption, and lightning strikes. Elsewhere, conditions will gradually improve through the day, with western and northwestern areas becoming drier and brighter later on.

Temperatures will be warm and rather humid in the south, especially where brighter spells develop, with highs reaching around 25°C in isolated spots. Further north and west, including Northern Ireland and Scotland, it will be cooler, with highs of 21 to 22°C, near the seasonal average.

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Showers and thunderstorms in the south will gradually ease through the evening, leaving largely dry and fine conditions overnight. Elsewhere, variable cloud cover will persist, with scattered showers continuing to affect exposed coastal areas, particularly along the North Sea coasts from southeast Scotland to East Anglia. Some of these may be heavy at times.

It will be a cooler night than of late, especially away from the southeast. Temperatures are expected to fall into the high single figures across much of the UK, with eastern England remaining slightly milder at 11°C to 13°C.

Outlook for Friday

Friday will be a more settled day for many, with dry conditions and sunny spells prevailing across much of the UK. However, showers are likely to develop in eastern England during the afternoon, with the heaviest expected across East Anglia and possibly parts of southeast England. It will be breezy in the east, but temperatures will remain near average for the time of year.

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Honor Criswick, said: “It could be a damp start for some of us, but many areas once again remaining dry. But it is going to be a rather warm, muggy night once again. Some towns and cities across southern parts not pushing much past 16°C to 17°C, possibly even 18°C across southern parts of Wales.

“So, a mild muggy start to the day and then all eyes across the south. Some showery outbreaks here and these possibly turning quite heavy as we head into the afternoon and there is a good chance that we could start to see some thunderstorms. So, some frequent lightning, some hail and also some gusty winds possible and there has been a Met Office warning issued across southern and southeastern parts.

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“There’s also a chance of some showers across eastern parts of Scotland, northeastern parts of England by the afternoon. But elsewhere, once again, plenty of sunny spells. Feeling warm, still quite muggy, particularly across the south. Once again, highs reaching 25° C. Now, we could start to see some thundery showers linger on, particularly across the southeast later into the afternoon before it eventually clears away.

“Still some showery outbreaks too along eastern coast and starting to see some isolated showers push into the northwest. These eventually easing away though. A ridge of high pressure building across the west and that leads to a rather fine day on Friday and for the beginning of the weekend."