The Met Office has issued a weather warning of up to 30 hours for Wales, with thunderstorms anticipated to hit the region. Following a period of settled weather, a change is expected, with thunderstorms likely in parts of Wales on Friday and Saturday. As a high-pressure system moves away to the north, wetter conditions are predicted, especially in the southern half of the UK.
Both Friday and the weekend are expected to experience heavy showers and thunderstorms, particularly in southern areas. Yellow weather warnings have been issued for thunderstorms on both days, covering the whole of Wales on Saturday. The warning for Friday is in place from noon until 8pm, with the Saturday warning starting at 1am and ending just before midnight.
According to Neil Armstrong, the Met Office’s chief meteorologist, thundery downpours are forecast for Friday afternoon in the south, bringing frequent lightning, gusty winds, hail, and heavy rain. The risk of thunderstorms will continue into Saturday, with the potential for longer spells of heavy rain, accompanied by hail and lightning, especially in parts of the Midlands, southern England, and east Wales.
Although the warnings identify areas most at risk, not everyone within the warning zone will necessarily experience a thunderstorm. The showers are expected to merge into prolonged periods of heavy rain on Sunday and Monday in some southern and central parts. The Met Office advises staying updated with the latest forecasts for any severe weather warnings.
In addition to the thunderstorms, temperatures are expected to decline as the unsettled weather persists into the following week. A yellow warning for Friday and Saturday specifies the areas at risk of thundery showers, including Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Monmouthshire, Newport, Swansea, and others.
Looking ahead, the Met Office anticipates a brief dry spell for most regions on Tuesday before more wet and windy conditions, typical of autumn, sweep across the UK from the North Atlantic. Stay informed about the changing weather conditions and take necessary precautions to stay safe during this period of turbulent weather in Wales.