RAC issues warning to drivers ahead of expected thunderstorms

After several days of temperatures approaching 30 degrees Celsius, the Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for later this week.

They stated that thunder and lightning could start tonight (Wednesday 31 July), but will likely be more commonly seen on Thursday.

With current high levels of humidity across large areas of the UK, the thunderstorms will likely change this, and the temperatures will drop to the low 20s°C or high teens from Friday.

Neil Armstrong, Chief Forecast at the Met Office, said: “The focus for Wednesday’s thunderstorm Yellow warning extends across a swathe of southeastern England from Hampshire to Essex, including London and parts of the Home Counties.

“While many areas will stay dry, a few places could see thunderstorms later today with frequent lightning and heavy downpours possible.”

For Thursday the Met Office’s Yellow thunderstorm warning covers most of England and Wales except the far South West and northwest. 

Dan Holley is a Met Office deputy chief forecaster. He said: “The Met Office has issued a thunderstorm warning over a broad geographical area but not all locations will see impacts. The most intense impacts are likely to be focussed on central, southern and southeast areas of England.

“Here some locations will witness torrential downpours, large hail and frequent lightning. A few places could see 50-100mm of rainfall in a few hours.”

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Following the announcement from the Met Office, RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Sudden downpours have the potential to quickly make the roads far more dangerous places - a fact illustrated by official figures that show an average of 1,660 people are killed or seriously injured every year as a result of bad weather making roads slippery.

“In 2022 alone, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 53 such fatalities. Our patrols are also expecting a 75% rise in calls from drivers whose vehicles become ditched or bogged due to intense rainfall.

“Anyone travelling by car when thunderstorms are expected should delay their journeys until the storms pass if possible.

“Otherwise, it’s best to stick to major roads, reduce speeds and always keep a firm grip of the steering wheel.

“It’s essential motorists do everything they can to avoid breaking down in the first place, like checking oil and coolant levels on their cars when the engine is cold.

“Oil should be topped up if it’s low, and if coolant isn’t between the ‘min’ and ‘max’ levels then drivers should top that up too – or take their car to a reputable Mobile Mechanic or garage to get it checked without delay.”