Met Office issues UK yellow thunderstorm alert - warns of rain, lightning and hail

A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office for Sunday as heavy rain, lightning and hail is expected to batter parts of the UK. The alert came into force shortly after 8am today and will be in effect until midday. The areas affected include parts of Gloucester, Bath, Salisbury and Newport.

A band of heavy rain and thunderstorms is due to move north across the affected area, with some places potentially seeing 30-40mm of downpour and frequent lightning and hail, according to the Met Office. Forecasters warned of difficult driving conditions, a small chance of homes and businesses experiencing power cuts, being flooded or getting damaged by water, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds, and potential disruption to train and bus services.

• Bath and North East Somerset
• Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
• Bristol
• Devon
• Dorset
• Gloucestershire
• North Somerset
• Somerset
• South Gloucestershire
• Swindon
• Wiltshire

• Cardiff
• Monmouthshire
• Newport
• Torfaen

• Herefordshire
• Warwickshire
• Worcestershire

Meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said: "It's a very windy start for many of us out there this morning particularly across the west where we've seen some coastal gales and we'll continue to see some very strong winds as we go throughout much of Sunday.

"A bit of a brighter start across eastern areas this morning, plenty of hazy sunshine on offer through the afternoon but further west a bit of a wetter picture.

"Some outbreaks of heavy, showery rain push their way northwards as we go through this afternoon."

It comes before a total lunar eclipse "blood moon", which is expected to be visible in parts of England and Wales on Sunday night.

The moon will turn a deep, dark red as the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface, for the first time since 2022. The Met Office recommends that those keen to witness the spectacle should locate a spot with the clearest possible view of the eastern horizon, in readiness for the lunar eclipse to reach its peak in the UK at 7.33pm.

In urban areas, this could mean travelling to elevated ground or a vantage point. The eclipse will be observable with the naked eye and unlike solar eclipses, it poses no danger to view directly as the moon's reflected light lacks intensity.