UK weather: Week’s worth of rainfall to hit Britain in 24 hours before thunder and hail

Britain can expect a week’s worth of rainfall in 24 hours as eight flood alerts have been issued while the nation remains in coronavirus lockdown.

Torrential rain, thunder and hail is forecast for the coming days, along with plummeting temperatures, according to the Met Office.

It follows highs of 25C (77F) last week and the driest April on record since 1938, tempting Britons to spend time outdoors.

Eight flood alerts are in place across southern England, with the government warning that some properties could be flooded.

After a spell of persistent rain in parts of England and Wales on Tuesday, a stronger band of rain will push north-eastwards on Wednesday.

Thursday will see scattered showers, some heavy and thundery, across many parts of the UK.

Sky News weather producer Christopher England said: “The very warm and dry April weather came to an abrupt end yesterday, with heavy rain for many central and southern parts, where temperatures were mostly in single figures Celsius.

“There’ll be more heavy rain today, affecting all except northern Scotland and again tonight, but southern parts will be a bit warmer than yesterday.

“Heavy, blustery and sometimes thundery showers will spread to most parts tomorrow, bringing a risk of localised flooding, and it looks like staying showery into the weekend.”

Wales and southwest England will be hardest-hit by the downpours, with up to 30mm of rain expected in some areas over today and tomorrow.

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“Tuesday’s wettest spot was Middle Wallop, Hampshire, with 24mm – almost an inch of rain,” Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said.

“As further rain bands and showers spread northeastwards across the UK during today and tomorrow, we could record another 15 to 30mm of rain in some places.

“The wettest areas are like to be across Wales and southwest England.

“During Friday and Saturday it turns drier in the West, but with further scattered showers over central and eastern areas – again there is the potential for around 10 to 20mm of rain in places.”

The government’s flood information service for Alton, Hampshire, warned that the persistent rainfall “could continue for several weeks or longer”.

Meanwhile, in Lambourn Valley, Berkshire, it says: “Property flooding is possible in the longer term.”

Plunging temperatures will accompany the wet and gloomy weather after some areas struggled to get above 8C (46.4F) on Tuesday. They will hover around the average over the next few days – between 10C (50F) to 14C (57.2F).

The weather also appears unsettled for the first week of May.

Met Office forecaster George Snell said: “Next week, there will be a lot more cloud in the sky and for many of us we will see some rain at some point.”

(c) Sky News 2020: UK weather: Week’s worth of rainfall to hit Britain in 24 hours before thunder and hail