UK weather: Yellow warning for thunderstorms as heatwave intensifies

A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office - as a nationwide heatwave intensifies.

The Met Office alert is in force from 3pm on Saturday until 4am on Sunday.

Forecasters said: "The most intense thunderstorms could produce frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds, along with some heavy downpours for a time."

The warning covers parts of the East and West Midlands, North East and North West of England, Wales and Yorkshire.

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Travel disruption is possible - with a "small chance" of power cuts and some communities being cut off by flooded roads.

It comes as high temperatures continue to dominate.

Temperatures reached 32.2C (90F) in Kew, west London, on Thursday, making it the warmest day of the year so far, while Friday saw highs of 30.8C recorded in both England and Wales.

An amber heat health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency for the first time since September 2023, is currently in force across England.

It warns "significant impacts are likely" across health and social care services because of high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or people with health conditions.

Sky News weather producer Jo Wheeler said: "Temperatures will peak on Saturday with the potential for 34C (93F) somewhere in the Midlands or South East, but fresher conditions will already be moving into the West."

She added that some places will miss this weekend's thunderstorms altogether - but where they hit, driving conditions will be "challenging" because of surface water.

"As we go into the coming week, it'll be cooler, fresher and more unsettled."

The record for the highest-ever June temperature is 35.6C (96F) and was set all the way back in 1976.

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Meanwhile, firefighters are warning that the dry and hot conditions have resulted in them responding to 564 wildfires across England and Wales so far this year - a 717% increase compared with the same period a year ago.

This is also more than double the number seen in 2022, which went on to be the worst year in history for wildfires.

The National Fire Chiefs Council is urging Britons to be cautious when enjoying the outdoors.

Chairman Phil Garrigan said: "We are deeply concerned about the escalating threat of wildfires this summer, which have the potential to become more frequent, intense, and dangerous - particularly in areas where communities border the countryside."

(c) Sky News 2025: UK weather: Yellow warning for thunderstorms as heatwave intensifies