**Wales Braces for Further Thunderstorms as Met Office Issues Extended Weather Warning**
After a deluge that saw a month’s worth of rainfall in just half a day in parts of Wales, forecasters have warned of continued unsettled weather, with intense thunderstorms expected to affect large areas well into the weekend. The Met Office has extended yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms, initially coming into effect on Friday afternoon and continuing into Saturday evening.
Communities across Wales were given little respite on Thursday, as areas such as Pitton, in the Gower, endured extreme downpours. According to the BBC’s Derek Brockway, 62mm of rain was measured within a mere 12 hours in Pitton, surpassing average totals for the entire month and marking it as the wettest day of the year to date in that locality.
Meteorologists are urging residents to prepare for further rainfall, with the Met Office warning that between 2pm on Friday and midnight, southwestern England and Wales will be particularly vulnerable to bursts of heavy rain and thunderstorms. There is potential for substantial rainfall rates of up to 20mm per hour, and in isolated locations, accumulations could reach up to 40mm in just three hours. Alongside these heavy downpours, the public has been cautioned about the risk of frequent lightning strikes and hail, which may create hazardous conditions.
The unsettled spell is set to persist into the weekend, with a second yellow warning in place from midnight until 6pm on Saturday. On this day, the heaviest rain is anticipated to drift northwards, impacting not only Wales but also western and northern England and even parts of Scotland. While rainfall will not be uniform, a significant corridor is forecast to receive 15-30mm, with the possibility of some isolated sites recording as much as 80mm throughout the event – enough to cause issues with localised flooding and disruption.
Meteorological maps published by the Met Office depict the progression of this weather system with varying shades; heavier rainfall is represented in oranges and reds, while lighter precipitation appears in blue. According to these forecasts, the south of Wales will begin to experience the initial wave of rain from 2pm on Friday, with conditions worsening and moving northwards as the day progresses. By the evening, heavy and persistent rain is expected to cover much of the country, punctuated by intense downpours in particular regions.
Although showers may abate during the early hours of Saturday, the reprieve is likely to be brief. Morning forecasts predict that the west, northwest, and southern parts of Wales will continue to be badly affected. Forecasters expect the most severe weather to gradually migrate northwards through the afternoon, with some improvement anticipated by later in the day, though isolated pockets of heavy rain may linger.
Looking slightly further ahead, there is cautious optimism for those hoping for brighter skies. The Met Office suggests that Monday and Tuesday should be predominantly dry for many across Wales, with just a slight risk of patchy rain in the far northwest. Into the latter part of June, a north-west/south-east weather split appears likely, with the north and west expected to bear the brunt of any continued unsettled conditions.
Despite the unsettled pattern, temperatures are forecast to remain around or slightly above seasonal norms. In the southeast, warmer – and even hot – spells are possible, interspersed with the threat of the occasional heavy shower or thunderstorm.
Meteorologists are encouraging the public to stay abreast of the latest forecasts and warnings. As severe weather events become increasingly common, timely information and preparation are key to minimising disruption and ensuring safety.
Resilience teams and local authorities are currently monitoring river levels and drainage infrastructure to respond quickly to any flooding or storm damage. Residents are also being advised to make necessary preparations, such as checking for blocked gutters and avoiding driving through flood-prone areas during periods of heavy rainfall.
As Wales navigates through another spell of capricious weather, both communities and officials remain vigilant, once again demonstrating the importance of timely weather alerts in the face of increasingly unpredictable conditions.