UK weather: When will there be thunderstorms this week?

Thunderstorms could hit parts of England over the weekend, along with high temperatures that have prompted a yellow heat-health alert.

Storms could cause disruption - including to the Wimbledon tennis tournament - as experts predicted torrential downpours which could lead to flash flooding in parts of the UK.

Forecasters warned of a possible 'danger to life' due to 'fast flowing and deep floodwater' - but also predicted that temperatures could reach 27-30C across Britain.

A yellow heat-health alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office on Thursday for six regions in England, including London.

The alert will be in place from midday on Friday until 9am on Sunday, with the Met Office forecasting temperatures up to 28C at Wimbledon.

Thunderstorms could follow the hot weather, forecasters warned.

Read more: In the UK heatwave, how hot is too hot?

In its long range forecast for 8 to 17 July, the Met Office said: "A band of heavy rain is moving erratically east across into western Britain.

"Expect very warm and humid conditions with scattering of showers, potentially developing into severe thunderstorms ahead."

It said temperatures will be "very warm/hot" for most areas of England, eastern Wales and parts of Scotland.

"Later in the period, conditions likely to remain generally unsettled with most places seeing some rain or heavy showers at times (with a risk of thunder)," the Met Office said.

Looking further ahead, the Met Office said there is still "scope for a few showers or thunderstorms" in the second half of July.

Showers have swept across the country this week, with temperatures barely getting into the 20s, but Friday and Saturday will see highs of 26C as the weather turns "hot and humid", the Met Office said.

On Monday, the Met Office confirmed that last month was the hottest June on record.

The average temperature for June 2023 was 15.8C, 0.9C hotter than the joint previous record of 14.9C in 1940 and 1976.

Read more: When will the next UK heatwave happen in 2023? Here's what we know

In total, 72 counties saw their hottest June since records began in 1884.

The Met Office also said the UK had 68% of its average rainfall for June, with 52.2mm of rainfall.

The Met Office's Mark McCarthy said: “It’s officially the hottest June on record for the UK, for mean temperature as well as average maximum and minimum temperature.

“June started with a good deal of high pressure and temperatures initially around average for many, but once that subsided, warm, humid air began to influence temperatures, with 32.2C the highest temperatures reached.

“What’s striking is the persistent warmth for much of the month, with temperatures widely into the mid-20s Celsius for many and even into the low 30s at times.”