Met Office issues 11-hour thunderstorm warning for all areas of the North East

Catherine Addison-Swan
·2-min read
The Yellow thunderstorm warning covers the whole of the North East
-Credit: (Image: Met Office)


A weather warning has been issued for the North East with potentially disruptive thunderstorms set to hit the region today, Saturday June 15.

The Met Office has confirmed that a Yellow warning for thunderstorms will be in place from 11am until 10pm on Saturday, covering the entirety of the North East including Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Northumberland, Sunderland and County Durham. Forecasters said that "slow moving" thunderstorms and heavy showers throughout the day may lead to some local disruption.

According to the warning, there is a "good chance" that driving conditions will be affected by spray and standing water, which may lead to longer journey times by car and bus. Delays to train services are also possible, with anyone planning to head out this weekend advised to check their journeys for any disruption and amend travel plans if necessary.

The Met Office said that flooding of a few homes and businesses is also possible, as well as some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes. In addition, some short term loss of power and other services is "likely" when the 11-hour warning is in place.

The latest forecast reads: "Showers and thunderstorms are expected to become more widespread this afternoon and last into the evening. Although not everywhere will see a thunderstorm, where they do occur, they will tend to be slow moving, with lightning, hail and heavy rain."

The Met Office added that the heaviest showers and thunderstorms could produce as much as 20mm of rain in less than an hour, with one or two places seeing 30-40mm in two to three hours. Those who live in a location at risk of flash flooding are advised to consider preparing an emergency flood kit.

With more thundery weather on the way on Sunday (June 16), it's possible that further warnings could be issued before the weekend is over, with people advised to stay up to date with the latest forecasts. While Sunday is expected to get off to a dry start, showers will soon develop that will merge into spells of heavy and potentially thundery rain, according to the Met Office.

Looking ahead to the start of next week, Monday is forecast to see a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, which could again be heavy and thundery at times. Thankfully, Tuesday and Wednesday are looking generally dry, with the odd isolated shower and temperatures climbing close to average.

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