Torrential rain and thunderstorms warning for Wales

Torrential rain and thunderstorms could hit parts of Wales today, forecasters say.

After weeks of sweltering weather, which has left land parched, the Met Office’s yellow thunderstorm warning for Wednesday forecasts conditions in which “20-30 mm of rain is possible within an hour” across Wales and the south of England.

Southeast Wales could face flash flooding as well as transport disruption and power cuts.

They could be cut off by flooded roads, and the chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater may cause danger to life, the warning also adds.

It states: “Whilst some places will miss them, thunderstorms and areas of heavy rain will develop quite widely on Wednesday across central, southern and eastern parts of England and southeast Wales.

“20-30 mm of rain is possible within an hour, but where areas of thundery rain become slow-moving, some places could see 60 mm in less than three hours.

“A few spots could see more rainfall than this still, whilst hail and lightning may be additional hazards.”

‘High run-off’

Wednesday is the fourth day in a row of thunderstorm warnings in the UK and it leaves communities braced for possible heavy downpours.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said that “heavy thundery showers could develop in warm muggy air” and “there could be some high totals (of rainfall), particularly if you see some heavy thunderstorms come in one after another”.

People in north of Wales should be able to enjoy a day that feels fresher, a little cooler and is mostly dry – with some sunny spells.

Mr Partridge said: “The ground has been so baked dry because of the heat and the lack of rain for a number of days.

“When the rain has come, it has been hitting ground that is completely dry and baked dry like concrete.

“It is running off than more traditionally. If there is some moisture in the ground, it is a lot easier for it to soak up the rain that hits it.

“We have probably a higher run-off rate for the rainfall than we would normally have.

“It is almost like all the fields have been tarmacked because the water has been running off them as there has been so little of it that has gone into the ground.”