Met Office issues urgent yellow thunderstorm warning
Some areas were told to expect 20mm (0.8in) to 25mm (1in) of rain in less than an hour, with 30mm (1.2in) to 40mm (1.6in) in one to two hours in a few locations. The alert, which was activated as soon as it was announced at 12.52pm today, comes amid concerns driving conditions will be affected by spray and standing water. Forecasters also warned of power cuts; damage to buildings and structures from lightning strikes; flooding of homes and businesses; and delays to public transport.
Train operator Southern said its services between Hastings and Ashford International had been cancelled this afternoon after the railway flooded and blocked all lines. As for the rest of the UK today, there will be scattered showers in other southern and western areas with a mix of bright spells and a few light showers elsewhere. Showers will slow fade this evening, although a few will continue across East Anglia and South West. Most other areas will see a combination of cloud and clear spells.
The wet weather comes after a dry and hot spring and three heatwaves so far this summer which left four regions of England in drought. England recorded its driest March to June period since 1893, and dry ground can make flooding more likely as it is unable absorb as much water.
Despite four days of downpours since Saturday, company bosses said they could not confirm when restrictions will end because it is 'generally waiting for rain'. Customers living in postcodes starting OX, GL, SN, RG4, RG8 and RG9 now have the ban - but it was avoided by London, which is also served by Thames Water.
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Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Telegraph
Do not open doors unnecessarily during Storm Floris, Met Office warns
The Met Office has warned people to only open doors where 'needed' during Storm Floris. The forecaster said the storm will bring 'unusually windy weather' for this time of year, with 85mph gales and heavy rain set to hit parts of the UK. A yellow warning for wind has been issued for northern parts of the country from 6am on Monday to 6am on Tuesday. In a post on X linking to advice on how to stay safe in a storm, the Met Office said: 'Storm Floris is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain for parts of the UK from Monday. 'Stay #WeatherReady and check out some advice from our partners about keeping yourself, your home, and your garden safe.' #StormFloris is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain for parts of the UK from Monday Stay #WeatherReady and check out some advice from our partners about keeping yourself, your home and your garden safe — Met Office (@metoffice) August 2, 2025 Other advice includes 'open[ing] internal doors only as needed, and close them behind you', parking vehicles in a garage, secure loose objects such as ladders, garden furniture or anything else that could be blown into windows and stay indoors as much as possible. Forecasters add that if you need to leave your home, then try not to walk or shelter close to buildings and trees. The Met Office said the strongest winds will most likely affect Scotland on Monday afternoon and night, but 'there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris'. It added: 'Winds will first ease in the west during later Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east. Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places.' The warning zone covers Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales and the north of England. Alex Burkill, a Met Office meteorologist, said: 'It's not that often that we get storms during the summer months, but it's worth bearing in mind that at this time of year we could see some increased disruption because of the fact that the trees are full of leaf and there are lots of outdoor activities planned. 'You may be camping, you may be trying to head to a festival... as a result, we could see some significant impacts because of not only the rain, but also the winds.' The Met Office added that flying debris may cause injuries and pose a danger to life in places inside the warning zone, along with large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads, and properties. Forecasters also said it was possible that tiles will be blown from roofs, and there may be power cuts, while rail, air, and ferry services could be disrupted. Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024-25 naming season, which runs from early September to late August, and January's Storm Eowyn was the most recent. Named storms are more frequent in late autumn and winter but are 'not uncommon' for summer, the Met Office said. The weekend will see a combination of sunshine and showers before Floris hits. Meanwhile, the Environment Agency said the forecast rain will not counteract the impacts of the driest start of the year since 1976 but will provide some short-term relief. The UK has experienced three heatwaves so far this summer, which have left four regions of England in drought. Stuart Sampson, the Environment Agency national drought manager, said that river flows and reservoir levels continue to be a concern, adding: 'Everyone can play their part by using a little less water to ease pressures on our water supply.'
Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Exact time brutal storm will batter Scotland with weather warning predicting 85mph winds and heavy rain
Experts have warned of potential "danger to life" STORM WARNING Exact time brutal storm will batter Scotland with weather warning predicting 85mph winds and heavy rain Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCOTS are set to be battered by gusts of up to 85mph by Storm Floris, as experts warn there could be "danger to life". The weather event is set to hit Scotland early on Monday morning, with unseasonably strong and disruptive winds. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Winds of up to 85mph are expected to batter Scotland 3 The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning 3 Conditions could cause disruption across the country A yellow weather warning from the Met Office covers entire Scotland, plus Ireland and the north of England. The alert will be in force from 6am on Monday, August 4 - the last Bank Holiday of the summer - until 6am on Tuesday, August 5. Experts said Scots should expect damage to buildings, including tiles blown from roofs. They also warned there could be "danger to life" from flying debris. The storm might also cause power cuts across the country, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage. Injuries and danger to life could also occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties. The storm is also predicted to force the closure of some roads and bridges. The Met Office said road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible Many inland areas are likely to see westerly wind gusts of 40-50 mph with 60-70 mph possible along exposed coasts and high ground, especially Scotland. There is a chance of a spell of even stronger winds developing for a time, with inland gusts of 60-70 mph and 85 mph along exposed Scottish coastlines and hills. Storm Floris latest update as 'unseasonably windy' weather expected amid 'power outage' & 'wave overtopping' fears Winds will first ease in the west during later Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east. Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places. Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024/2025 Storm Naming season and the first since Storm Eowyn caused major damage in late January.
Metro
15 hours ago
- Metro
Map shows where Storm Floris will the hit the UK on Monday
You might want to tie down the garden furniture because a summer storm with strong winds is about to land in the UK. Storm Floris, the first rough weather front of the summer, has appeared in weather radars as it makes its way towards the British Isles. The Met Office named the storm, which is expected to hit on Monday with 85mph gusts, as it issued two yellow weather warnings. The worst of the weather is set to land in north of England, Scotland, north Wales and Northern Ireland next week, where buildings could be damaged and flying debris is a risk, the forecaster warned. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Read on for more details about where the summer storm will touchdown next week. Storm Floris will bring 'unseasonably strong and potentially disruptive winds' through Monday and into early Tuesday, the Met Office said. The yellow weather warning is in force from 6am on Monday, August 4, until 6am on Tuesday. Matthew Lehnert, a chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland. There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85mph.' Winds of this scale mean venturing out at the height of the storm could be dangerous due to flying debris in some areas. People in the yellow weather warning area might want to prepare for power cuts and check in on vulnerable loved ones, as outages could have a knock-on effect on mobile phone coverage Some roads and bridges, especially those in exposed areas, might have to close as the storm sweeps. More Trending Road, rail, air and ferry journeys could also see longer journeys and cancellations. The UK has seen a long stretch of sunny weather in recent weeks. However, storms are not as uncommon in the summer as you might think – there was Storm Lilian in August last year, Antoni and Betty in August 2023, and storms Ellen and Francis in August 2020. Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024/25 season after the destruction from Storm Éowyn in January, when red warnings were issued and at least two people died. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Acid rain' is back – should we be worried? MORE: I'll sleep soundly through the next heatwave thanks to this game-changing item from Oodie MORE: Map shows where thunderstorms and heavy rain will hit UK
