London weather: Thunderstorm alert for capital extended as heavy rain sweeps in
A Met Office thunderstorm warning covering much of southern England including London has now been extended until Wednesday morning.
The yellow weather warning came into force at 10am on Tuesday and was originally due to end at 10pm, but was later extended until 3am on Wednesday.
The Met Office is warning of showers and thunderstorms spreading from the south-west, as well as developing over land, throughout the day.
While some areas will miss these, where they develop 20-30mm of rain is forecast to fall within two to three hours, with a small chance that a few places could receive 40-50mm over a longer period - especially across the south-east this evening.
Hail and lightning will be additional hazards with gusts of up to 40mph expected.
It comes after thundery showers on Monday brought big downpours in some places, surface water on the roads and lightning and hail as an extra hazard.
⚠️Yellow weather warning UPDATED⚠️
Thunderstorms across parts of southern England
NOW - Wednesday 0300
Latest info 👉https://t.co/QwDLMfS950
Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/XrOmwHA6hV— Met Office (@metoffice) October 8, 2024
Weather warnings are possible until mid-week as rain falls on already wet ground, according to the Met Office.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin, in an online forecast, said a bright start could be expected for some on Tuesday but heavy showers are expected over Wales and southern England.
He said: “There is an area of low pressure just generating the showers and pushing northwards.
“Also there is this band of thick cloud sitting over northern England, Northern Ireland and southern Scotland for much of the day with outbreaks of rain.
“Northern England should brighten up but then showers will move in here too.
“Not quite as damp over northern Scotland as it has been through Monday but still staying pretty grey here with those winds coming down from the north, that is going to bring a chill.”
It will see temperatures struggling to get much above 10-12C but it will feel colder with the wind.
It may be brighter between the showers further south where temperatures could pop up, 18-19C is possible ahead of more downpours and a gusty wind blowing across the south coast of England and into southern parts of Wales.
The rest of the week looks unsettled, with less heavy and widespread rain and showers affecting most areas at times.
Temperatures are set to dip from Wednesday in the north with all areas experiencing below average temperatures from Thursday.
Night frosts are expected for some regions, and snow is possible for the higher mountains of Scotland, the Met Office said.