Yahoo News Met Office issues 'flash flooding' alert as heavy rain expected to hit parts of UK
Thunderstorm warnings remain in place across the UK, with weather experts predicting that as much as three inches of rain could batter parts of the country on Monday. The nation already witnessed sudden deluges and loud peals of thunder on Sunday, expecting similar conditions today.
Over the weekend, the Met Office kept a yellow alert in place and extended this cautionary note until the close of Monday, with an extensive sweep of the UK caught under its scope, including the North East
Forecasters foresee general rainfall rates of 30 to 40mm in an hour on Monday, while certain areas may confront between 60 and 80mm, fuelling anxiety over potential flash floods.
For the North East, the Met Office states: "A dull, murky start for most, with heavy, thundery showers soon clearing to the north. Turning brighter but staying mostly cloudy through the day, with scattered, locally heavy thundery showers possible this afternoon"
Marco Petagna, senior operational meteorologist at the Met Office, pointed to "low pressure sitting over the UK" as the reason for the intense thunderstorms, cautioning: "There's a risk of heavy showers which could be thundery in places, especially central and eastern parts of the UK."
Mr Petagna warned of prospects of floods, lightning strikes, travel chaos, and a marginally increased likelihood of power disruptions.
The weather warning spans a lot of the UK from the very brink of the Orkney Islands right through to the Midlands, and extending westward to encompass all of Wales, reports the Mirror.
The start of September is set for some strange and rapidly changing weather systems. On Sunday, Dorset experienced up to 25mm of rain in just an hour, while a short drive away, the south east basked in temperatures hitting 30C.
Monday is set to see highs of 25C in the south east, though it will feel cooler in the north and west, Mr Petagna noted. While Tuesday and Wednesday may offer a respite with lighter showers and some sunshine, thunderstorms are forecasted to return by Thursday, particularly in southern areas.
