UK under flood warning as thunderstorms batter large parts

Large parts of the UK are hit by heavy rains and thunderstorms with more rainfall expected in the coming days, according to the Met Office forecast. Britons were battered by heavy showers over the weekend, prompting yellow weather warnings and causing flash floods in several parts as cars were seen stranded on water-logged roads. Many motorists had to abandon their cars in water-filled roads and some others were rescued due to deep water in parts of the country. The disruptive and unsettled weather is set to continue this week as the UK still has six flood alerts in place on Monday. Monday is predicted to begin with mostly fine weather, according to latest Met Office forecast, but cloud cover will quickly increase, accompanied by rain showers that will move northeastward throughout the day. The southwest region is likely to experience heavier showers, while Scotland is expected to see a higher frequency of downpours, the Met Office said. The south east will stay mostly dry, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 23C or 24C. As evening sets in, more showers are expected to advance northward across Northern Ireland and Scotland, the forecaster said. In the south and west, a new area of heavy rain will gradually move eastward while winds will remain gusty, enhancing the overall atmospheric conditions. While some areas in the west may experience warm temperatures, others will see cooler conditions, creating a varied weather pattern. Looking ahead to Tuesday, there is a possibility of some intermittent sunny spells interspersed with showers, the Met Office forecast shows. However, the respite from rain is not expected very soon as the outlook for this week indicates a continuation of unsettled conditions across the UK. Thursday is likely to be the brighter day of the week, with more rain on Friday, the Met Office said. Sunny spells are predicted but they will be interspersed with showers throughout the week with some showers potentially becoming torrential and accompanied by thunderstorms, raising concerns of more flooding. Temperatures during this period are forecasted to hover around the seasonal average. The continued downpour is keeping the temperatures down in what was expected to be a hot July after the record-breaking heat in June. In its long-range forecast the Met Office predicts temperatures to climb up to ‘above average’ by the end of the month and the beginning of July.