Thunderstorm Warnings Issued for HFM Region

A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is due to come into force across Leicestershire and Northamptonshire in the early hours of tomorrow.

The Met Office warning runs from 3am until 10pm tomorrow, with the potential for heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning and large hail.

Forecasters say some areas could see 20 to 30 millimetres of rain in less than an hour, with up to 40 to 50 millimetres possible in a few places over two to three hours.

The Local Resilience Forum says months of little or no rain have left the ground extremely hard, increasing the risk of surface water flooding

That could lead to surface water and flash flooding, although many areas are expected to miss the worst of the storms.

The Met Office says the showers and thunderstorms should move northwards and ease during Wednesday evening.

A further yellow warning has also been issued for Thursday, when another band of thunderstorms and heavy rain is expected to move north across England and Wales.

The Met Office says 20 to 30 millimetres of rain could fall in three hours in many areas, with some locations potentially seeing more than 50 millimetres in three hours.

Lightning and hail of up to two centimetres are also possible.

A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is due to come into force in the early hours of tomorrow.

The Local Resilience Forum says months of little or no rain have left the ground extremely hard, increasing the risk of surface water flooding, which can happen quickly and be difficult to predict.

Other potential impacts include difficult driving conditions, disruption to power and other utilities, and a risk to life from fast-flowing flood water.

People are being advised to check gutters, drains and downpipes, make an emergency plan and prepare a grab bag containing essentials such as medicines, water and important documents.

They should also check on relatives and neighbours who may need extra support.

The advice is to never enter flood water. In an emergency, call 999.

Kristy Ball, Co-Chair of the Local Resilience Forum’s People, Communities and Recovery group, said:

“While the sun is shining, it’s easy to forget about the risk of flooding – but, after a long dry spell, rainwater can run off dry ground and cause localised flooding which can have devastating impacts.

“That’s why it’s so important to be prepared.”

Free support to help people prepare for flooding, heatwaves and other emergencies is also available through Risk Ready Communities, part of a community resilience programme led by the Local Resilience Forum.