Met Office warns of 40mm downpours and 45mph gusts across all four home nations this bank holiday Sunday
Dozens of homes in Birmingham and beyond sustained flood damage as a record-breaking summer of five heatwaves gave way to lightning, torrential rain and widespread disruption.A festival-goer is rescued from the mud at Reading, where heavy, thundery showers are forecast to push into the site by Sunday evening.
Yellow thunderstorm warnings cover virtually the entire UK on Sunday, with the Met Office alerting millions to the risk of lightning, hail, flooding and travel chaos through to midnight. Meteorologist Kathryn Chalk urged Britons to keep an umbrella to hand as heavy, intense showers sweep westward across the country this afternoon. Notting Hill Carnival's family day parade pressed ahead regardless, with revellers shielding themselves with cardboard and ponchos on the 60th anniversary of the event.
The Met Office warns 30-40mm of rain is possible in a matter of hours across north and northwest England, with 45mph wind gusts adding hazard in southern areas.
Scotland's Central Belt, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Perth, faces a warning running until 9pm, with lightning strikes threatening damage to buildings and power cuts possible.
Monday is expected to bring drier, brighter spells — though forecasters still advise festivalgoers heading home from Reading and Leeds to keep a waterproof close at hand.
