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Flash flooding hits Wales and UK prepares for more thunderstorms as heatwave continues

Flash flooding has struck parts of Wales as Britain prepares for more thunderstorms later this week.

Temperatures on Tuesday again passed the 30C mark as the UK’s heatwave continues, but the hot weather will be interrupted by heavy rain.

Forecasters have warned there will be four days of thunderstorms across the UK this week.

On Monday, the whole of Wales was covered by a yellow thunderstorm warning as it was hit by severe flash flooding.

Aberystwyth in Wales was hit by flash flooding on Monday. (Tom Kendall)
Aberystwyth in Wales was hit by flash flooding on Monday. (Tom Kendall)

Large parts of the university town of Aberystwyth were underwater as drivers struggled to get their cars through the streets.

Local firefighters were called to eight separate flooding incidents in the town. A number of homes were flooded.

Tom Kendall, 18, a community councillor and member of the UK Youth Parliament, captured the flooding in the town on camera.

UK thunderstorm weather warnings: Forecast for Tuesday August 11
UK thunderstorm weather warnings: Forecast for Tuesday August 11

He told Yahoo News UK: “It was a bit of a disaster zone. It all happened so quickly.

“At about 3pm it went really dark and some of the street lamps even came on. There was this downpour of rain.

“Water was rushing down the hills and from the rivers. We’ve never seen anything like it.

“One minute it was all calm, then there was this downpour of rain for 10 to 15 minutes and everything was flooded.”

Footage recorded in North Wales showed large hailstones raining down in the town of Capel Curig.

Watch the video below

In Lancashire, fire crews were called out to more than 30 flooding incidents overnight as storms hit the region.

The fire and rescue service said it received more than 60 calls on Monday night into Tuesday morning and went out to more than 30 flooding-related incidents in Lancaster, Warton, Kirkham, Hesketh Bank and Tarleton.

On Tuesday, heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected in the North of England and parts of Scotland.

The Met Office has issued a weather warning covering most of the UK stretching until Thursday evening, although southern parts of the country are expected to enjoy finer weather.

(Tom Kendall)
Water rises up to homes in Aberystwyth, Wales, on Monday. (Tom Kendall)

Forecasters say an area of heavy rain and thunderstorms is expected to move north across parts of Scotland on Tuesday morning, with scattered storms expected for other parts of the country, and very hot weather expected for the South-East of England.

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Following Monday’s rainfall, the Environment Agency has issued four warnings for expected flooding in the North-West – two at Lancaster and two at Ulverston.

Five flood alerts – warning of possible flooding – are in place for Birmingham and surrounding districts.

(Tom Kendall)
The streets of Aberystwyth in Wales were filled with floodwater. (Tom Kendall)
(Tom Kendall)
Cars struggle to move through floodwater in Aberystwyth, Wales. (Tom Kendall)

Flood alerts have been issued for 19 locations in Scotland, with one also current for the Vyrnwy catchment area in Wales.

Some heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected for the North of England on Tuesday night, in what will be a warm night for most parts of the nation.

Meanwhile, sunbathers lapped up the rays again in Southsea, Hampshire. (PA)
Meanwhile, sunbathers lapped up the rays again in Southsea, Hampshire. (PA)
Fishermen on Blyth pier in Northumberland on Tuesday. (PA)
Fishermen on Blyth pier in Northumberland on Tuesday as thunderstorms - and hot weather - are set to continue. (PA)

By Tuesday afternoon, temperatures above 30C had been recorded at Heathrow, Yeovilton and Bedford.

The Met Office warned flash flooding could cause travel disruption and power cuts, but also cautioned about the risks caused by fast flowing or deep floodwater.

The Met Office predicted that more than two months’ rainfall - or 150mm - could fall in some places in a few hours on Monday afternoon.