A ‘danger to life’ orange warning has been issued for parts of south-west England as thunder, lightning and flooding are set to wash over the UK’s heat wave. A yellow weather warning is in place across the country, with the additional orange warning for Cornwall, Devon and Somerset until 8pm on Monday. The Met Office has put a yellow warning in place for Northern Ireland until 11.59pm on Monday and 11.59pm for all of England and Wales on Tuesday after a change in atmospheric pressure led to dramatic rain. A yellow warning for rain has been issued in Scotland until 10am on Tuesday, following a similar thunderstorm warning on Monday. The south west and south east of England also face a third day of yellow warnings on Wednesday until 11.59pm as the rain eases elsewhere. The rain comes after eight areas of England were officially declared dry on Friday. Greg Dewhurst, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said the week would start fairly wet before turning cold later. He said: “We will start quite wet initially, particularly in the south and east of the UK, with showers and sunny spells, but it will gradually become cooler and fresher as the week goes on. “The first half of the week, we’re looking at the development of heavy showers and thunderstorms. “You can kind of see that kind of transition coming from the North, it’s day by day. Dried grass surrounds artificial grass at St Nicholas Park in Warwick. Credit: PA “It’s still warm tomorrow (Monday), we’re looking at highs around 31C, possibly 32C, then it starts to drop. “As we head into Tuesday, temperatures are around 26 or 27 degrees Celsius. Wednesday Thursday will be the middle of the 20th. “So tomorrow is probably the last day we’ll see temperatures above 30C for the rest of the week.” Danger on the roads Power outages and train and bus delays and cancellations are expected, while spray and flash flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions for motorists. Drivers are asked to be careful. Weather warnings for thunderstorms are in effect this week. Credit: PA Graphics Simon Williams, RAC road safety expert, said: “When the roads or conditions are so dry, flash flooding will occur and cause a risk to drivers. There is a risk of hydroplaning as the water will not drain as quickly. The risk of slipping and sliding is also greater. “Make sure you have good tread on your tires and that they are properly inflated, because the tread is the only thing that keeps you in contact with the road. Also, leave plenty of space between your car and the car in front.” An AA spokesman also warned of slippery road surfaces as a result of rubber build-up from tyres. Lightning and thunder are also forecast during the week Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Drought ‘not over’ Christine Colvin, director of advocacy and engagement at the Rivers Trust, said there was a risk people would not take the drought seriously in the coming days “just because it’s raining”. “We want people to keep this rainfall event in context and as part of the bigger picture, and the bigger picture is that we’ve actually still had an incredibly dry year as well as a dry summer, and it’s going to take continued rainfall to replenish supplies us”. “Just because it’s raining, it doesn’t mean the drought is over,” Ms Colvin added. “It seems very unsavory, but it will take continued rain to replenish the supplies that we actually use, which is the aquifers and managing the storage in our reservoirs.” The official drought was announced last week by the National Drought Group (NDG), which is made up of representatives from the government, water companies, the Environment Agency (EA) and others. Three water companies – Welsh Water, Southern Water and South East Water – have all imposed pipe bans, while Yorkshire Water has announced a ban will start on August 26 and Thames Water is planning one in the coming weeks. Another pipe ban will come into effect in Cornwall and parts of North Devon next week, according to South West Water, which announced the measures to limit water use on Monday morning. Want a quick and special update on the biggest news? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out what you need to know Meanwhile two people are missing after getting into trouble in rivers in England during the weekend’s hot weather. Temperatures soared to 34C on Saturday and Sunday as sunny and warm weather continued across the UK. Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said it received reports at 6.37pm. on Sunday for a man missing near the Weir in Stoke Bardolph. Eight crews were dispatched to find the man and the incident has since been handed over to the police. The body of a man aged in his 20s has been recovered from the River Thames near Hampton Court. He was reported to be in the water just before 4.15pm on Sunday and a search was launched by officers from the Metropolitan Police and Surrey, London Fire and Rescue Service. Around 10.30pm a body was pulled from the water by police divers. The man’s family has been notified.
