Heavy rain and thunder are expected for the north of England and parts of Scotland today as the heatwave is met by summer storms.
The Met Office has issued a weather warning covering most of the UK until Thursday evening, with risks of flash flooding and power cuts.
Thunderstorms are expected to sweep northwards across parts of Scotland this morning, while very hot weather is expected to continue in the South-East.
The Environment Agency has issued four warnings for expected flooding in the North-West – two at Lancaster and two at Ulverston – following downpours on Monday.
Hot Weather: Friday 7 August
Five flood alerts have been issued for Birmingham and surrounding districts, while 19 are in place for Scotland, and one for Wales.
Some heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected for the north of England tonight, in what will be a warm night across most parts of the country.
London is expected to record a top temperature of 33C on Tuesday afternoon, while Birmingham’s forecast maximum is 30C.
Wednesday is expected to be very hot again in the south.
The Environment Agency said it would update its flood warnings and alerts as the situation changes.
The Met Office warned flash flooding could cause travel disruption and power cuts, but also cautioned about the risks caused by fast flowing or deep floodwater.
The current UK heatwave is still dwarfed by that seen in 1976 – one of the longest in living memory – when temperatures reached 32C or higher in the country for 15 consecutive days.
