Met Office issues 11-hour thunderstorm warning for whole of North East

Catherine Addison-Swan
·2-min read
Monday's thunderstorms could lead to difficult driving conditions
-Credit: (Image: Newcastle Chronicle)


Just to make sure you weren't getting too comfortable with all the sunshine this weekend, there are officially thunderstorms on the way - with the Met Office having issued a weather warning covering the whole of the North East.

The yellow thunderstorm warning will be in place from 2am tomorrow, Monday August 12, until 1pm, with the potential for frequent lightning, heavy rain, hail and bursts of strong winds. Forecasters have warned that the stormy weather could cause some damage and disruption to infrastructure across Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Northumberland, Sunderland and County Durham.

Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures, while there is a small chance that some communities could be cut off by flooded roads, the Met Office cautioned. There is also a risk of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services, and a small chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses may be lost.

The warning, which also covers all of Scotland and extends down to York, states that thunderstorms are expected to develop over western parts of the UK and move northeast during the second half of Sunday night into Monday morning, although not all parts of the warning area are expected to be hit by the storms. Some "torrential downpours" are likely, with 20-40mm expected to fall in places.

Thunderstorm warning on Monday August 12
Thunderstorm warning on Monday August 12 -Credit:Met Office

Fortunately, the thunderstorms are expected to clear by Monday afternoon, with the North East expected to see scorching temperatures to start the week. According to the latest forecast from the Met Office, some areas could hit highs of up to 27°C on Monday, with Newcastle forecast to reach 25°C by the afternoon, which is the heatwave temperature threshold for the North East - although the region would need to see three successive days at or above this temperature to officially declare a heatwave.

Looking ahead to the rest of the week, things will turn slightly cooler and fresher on Tuesday, although there will still be plenty of sunny spells to enjoy, the Met Office said. Wednesday and Thursday are currently looking more changeable, with brighter periods mixed with spells of rain and temperatures peaking in the low twenties.

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