The Met Office has issued a thunderstorm warning for a large part of Wales as the period of settled weather comes to an abrupt end. The forecasting agency warns of “frequent lightning, gusty winds, potentially some large hail, as well as brief spells of heavy rain”. A yellow warning is in place on Friday from noon until 8pm.
It says: “A few thundery showers may be present across southern and southeast England early on Friday, but from the middle of the day they are expected to develop more widely within the warning area.” The warning adds: “Whilst some places will remain dry, where thundery showers do occur, they will bring frequent lightning, gusty winds, potentially some large hail.”
As much as 15 to 25 mm of rain could fall within an hour, with a very small chance of 30-40 mm falling in three hours. Showers are expected to ease and fade during Friday evening. The areas covered by the weather warning are: Blaenau Gwent; Bridgend; Caerphilly; Cardiff; Carmarthenshire; Ceredigion; Merthyr Tydfil; Monmouthshire; Neath Port Talbot; Newport; Pembrokeshire; Powys; Rhondda Cynon Taf; Swansea; Torfaen; Vale of Glamorgan.
Before that, Thursday will be warm and sunny after a cloudy and murky start to the day. The forecast for Wales describes it as cloudy and perhaps misty initially, but clouds will lift to leave warm sunny spells in the afternoon. Friday will start with another cloudy spell but sunny breaks are expected, with a risk of scattered showers later, possibly turning heavy and thundery.
The Met Office outlook for Wales from Saturday to Monday predicts mostly unsettled weather with heavy, possibly thundery showers and spells of rain mixed with sunnier intervals, feeling warm and humid.
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