UK weather: Met Office issues yellow thunderstorm warning as temperatures soar above 30C

Mercury predicted to rise up to 37C before end of week

Thunderstorms are predicted to bring lightning, hail and high winds to the UK as temperatures soar above 30C.

Scattered patches of storms are predicted to push up from southwest England and move north from Tuesday evening, according to the Met Office.

Forecasters issued a yellow weather warning for most of England, Wales and Scotland, lasting from 6pm on Tuesday until 9am on Wednesday.

The Met Office warned there was a “slight chance” of homes and businesses losing power, along with a “small chance” of houses being damaged.

It added that driving conditions could be made worse by spray or hail, making car and bus delays possible.

Temperatures are due to soar above 30C on Tuesday and forecasters have predicted the mercury will rise up to 37C before the end of the week.

If that happened, it would surpass the current record for a day in July – 36.7C at Heathrow Airport in 2015.

Public Health England has renewed warnings about the heat, urging people to keep hydrated, find shade and take protection against the sun.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: “On Thursday we’ll see an east and west split with showers in the western parts of England but the eastern parts will look very hot with 36C to 37C .”

He said there was a 60 per cent chance Thursday’s weather might surpass the current July record of 36.7C and a 30 per cent chance of going over the all-time UK temperature record of 38.5C which was recorded in Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.

Swimmers enjoy the sun at Ilkley outdoor pool and lido in West Yorkshire (Danny Lawson/PA)

Temperatures will creep towards expected highs of 34C in London, although thundery showers are expected to hit Bristol in the evening and into the early hours of Wednesday.

Scotland will not see wall-to-wall sunshine, either, with Glasgow due to experience heavy showers on Tuesday.

Mr Petagna warned “anywhere across England could see some thundery showers”.

He added the coolest areas will be in western England.

He said: “The temperatures will still be in the 20Cs so still fairly sunny but this part of England will be the coolest out of the rest.”

People take shade under umbrellas in Tenby, Pembrokeshire (Reuters/Rebecca Naden) (REUTERS/Rebecca Naden)

In central and eastern parts of England, heatwave thresholds – which vary between 25C and 28C across the country, acting as a benchmark for determining whether the meteorological phenomenon has been reached – are expected to be met as high temperatures persist for three days or more.

The temperatures will remain high, thought to be about 24C, overnight into Wednesday, making it uncomfortable for some people to sleep.

Public Health England said the heat should prompt people to drink plenty of fluids, avoid excess alcohol and open windows when it feels cooler outside. Nobody should ever be left in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals, it added.

And it said people should avoid the sun between 11am to 3pm but, if they do go out, they should walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat.

Other tips include avoiding physical exertion in the hottest parts of the day and wearing light, loose-fitting cotton clothes.

Broadstairs beach in Kent (Wesley Johnson/PA) (Wesley Johnson/PA Wire)

The Dogs Trust charity also advised owners to not leave pets alone in a hot car seat even for a few minutes.

In August 2003, the UK experienced heatwave conditions lasting 10 days, the Met Office said.