UK weather: Thunderstorms and gale-force winds to shake nation

Bradley Jolly

6 June 2024 at 8:36 am·2-min read

Violent thunderstorms are set to batter parts of the UK this weekend, according to weather maps. The storms are expected to be long-lasting on Saturday morning, predominantly across Scotland. The nation experienced more than 12mm of rain on Tuesday and further downpours are predicted for this weekend.

Meanwhile, Bristol is likely to see very little rain and even some sunshine over the weekend. Temperatures in and around the city are expected to reach highs of 18C on Saturday afternoon and early evening as the sun peeks through the clouds.

The UK's heaviest rainfall - and anticipated storms - are likely to start around 10am on Saturday across the Scottish Highlands, and Argyll and Bute. These tempests will linger, slowly moving east throughout the day and by 4pm, Aberdeenshire is expected to face the worst of the weather.

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Wind speeds, particularly across the Highlands, could reach up to 45mph. Snow is also forecast across The Cairngorms all day Saturday, say meteorologists at InMeteo.

Showers are also expected across northern England on Saturday afternoon, including in Cumbria. These will move eastwards by the evening, according to InMeteo, reports the Mirror.

As the thunderstorms wreak havoc across Scotland, temperatures north of the border are set to drop to as low as 5C on Saturday - a stark contrast to Tuesday's highs of 16.4C in Edinburgh, and 16.1C in Leuchars, Fife.

However, in the sunshine on Saturday, it will be much warmer - with highs of 19C expected in Hampshire and Kent. Even these areas are unlikely to match the warmth experienced at the start of this week - when temperatures exceeded 22C in Shoeburyness, Essex.

The Met Office has indicated that while Scotland grapples with severe storms, the south of England will see quite the opposite, with drier conditions and a gradual temperature rise over the weekend. According to their website: "Drier across southern parts of the UK, with temperatures here slowing increasing over the weekend."

The forecast also highlights the delightful weather expected for most of the country later in the month. InMeteo's weather maps suggest that on Saturday June 15, some areas could experience temperatures feeling like 30C.

With little wind and sinking air, the warmth is predicted to intensify around Saturday June 15 in many regions.

Ventusky's forecasters predict that the sensation of 30C will reach parts of south London and Surrey on June 15 and June 16. The capital is set to feel like 27C, matching temperatures in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, while Humberside may enjoy 25C.

Even western regions such as Herefordshire and Gloucestershire are expected to bask in temperatures feeling as high as 25C.

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