Met Office warns of storms as yellow weather warnings issued

Many areas are expected to stay warm and dry on Tuesday (August 25), with temperatures widely reaching the mid to high 20°Cs across the country.

However, isolated showers and thunderstorms in the south-west are likely to become more widespread from Tuesday evening and overnight into Wednesday (August 26).

Longer spells of rain, heavy downpours, frequent lightning and localised disruption are possible.

Low pressure will bring heavy, thundery downpours this week, with thunderstorm warnings in force for Wednesday and Thursday ⚠️

The exact location of the heaviest rain and thunderstorms remains uncertain so keep up to date with the latest forecast and warnings 📲 pic.twitter.com/7TS22g977B

— Met Office (@metoffice) August 25, 2026

Met Office chief forecaster, Steve Willington, said: “As we move into Wednesday there is a growing risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms, with warm and humid air helping to trigger heavy showers and thunderstorms.

"Some places could see significant amounts of rain falling in a short period of time, bringing the potential for localised flooding, travel disruption and frequent lightning.

“On Thursday, slow-moving heavy and thundery rain may bring prolonged rainfall to some areas, increasing the risk of localised impacts.

"There remains some uncertainty around where the heaviest rain will fall, so it is important to keep up to date with the latest forecast and warnings"

"Danger to life"  yellow weather warnings issued for parts of the UK

Yellow weather warnings will be in place across the UK on Wednesday and Thursday (August 27), including in London, Oxford, Cardiff, and York.

The thunderstorms associated with the weather warnings could cause:

• Flooding
• Power cuts
• Damage to buildings
• Danger to life (due to fast-flowing or deep floodwater)
• Travel disruptions

Yellow warnings for thunderstorms have been issued for parts of England and Wales tomorrow and on Thursday, as warm and humid conditions bring an increasing chance of heavy showers, thunderstorms and longer spells of rain.

Read more 👇 https://t.co/ZalhCIG5ys pic.twitter.com/RT6E0UBbeU

— Met Office (@metoffice) August 25, 2026

Unsettled conditions may continue into Friday and the weekend.

Further showers or longer spells of rain are possible, alongside drier and brighter periods.

The new warnings and thunderstorms come following one of the UK's hottest summers on record.

RECOMMENDED READING:

• What you should (and shouldn't do) in your house during a thunderstorm
• Should you drive in a thunderstorm? Driving advice amid Met Office warnings
• How to protect your home from costly thunderstorms and flooding damage

Extremely dry conditions have resulted in drought being declared across nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales.

The Met Office has previously said the UK is on course for its hottest summer ever.

Five heatwaves have affected the country, with temperatures reaching 38.1C in London.

Are there yellow weather warnings in place near you this week? Let us know in the comments below.