The Met Office has confirmed the full list of areas in England set to experience “heavy rain” on Thursday evening as the UK heatwave continues to break records. A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in effect from 6 pm on June 25, primarily impacting southwest England.
Following another exceptionally hot day, scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast to move into the region during Thursday evening and overnight. While not all areas will be affected, some severe weather conditions—including sudden, gusty winds reaching 50 to 60 mph, frequent lightning, hail, and heavy rain—are possible. These hazards are most likely to impact communities along the south coast of Devon and Cornwall.
The specific counties under threat include Cornwall, Torbay, Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and Plymouth.
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Met Office Chief Forecaster Matthew Lehnert emphasized the severity of this heatwave: “This is exceptional heat for June, with temperature records expected to be broken this week. Although red warnings are reserved for the most extreme events, the heatwave is likely to cause significant impacts, including health issues even among those not typically vulnerable.”
Lehnert added that high humidity will intensify the perceived heat, with high overnight temperatures expected to remain above 20°C across large parts of England and Wales. This combination increases the risk of significant adverse effects.
The BBC Weather forecast for June 25 and 26 highlights that while sunny and hot conditions will prevail for many, local fog may develop along the North Sea coasts, with patchy cloud cover in northern regions. Outbreaks of rain and thunderstorms will occur in the far northwest, moving southeast, accompanied by heavy downpours and lightning risks.
Heavy and thundery rain showers are predicted to persist into Friday morning in northeast England and eastern Scotland, becoming more widespread across Scotland during the day, while southern areas will see drier conditions.
Looking ahead to the weekend (June 27–29), the outlook includes breezy and showery weather in northern regions with sunny spells and occasional showers further south. Sunday will bring westerly winds with lighter showers and patchy cloud, trending cooler overall. Monday will feature breezy conditions with rain spells in the north, variable cloud, and sunny periods in the south, ending with dry, clear evenings.