{"id":26472,"date":"2023-10-03T10:01:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T10:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/belalcazar.org\/?p=26472"},"modified":"2023-10-03T10:01:00","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T10:01:00","slug":"met-office-issues-urgent-nine-hour-thunderstorm-warning-as-chaos-expected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belalcazar.org\/world-news\/met-office-issues-urgent-nine-hour-thunderstorm-warning-as-chaos-expected\/","title":{"rendered":"Met Office issues urgent nine hour thunderstorm warning as chaos expected"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Thunderstorms are expected to wreak havoc on parts of the UK tonight, as the Met Office warns of an imminent risk of flash flooding.<\/p>\n

The forecaster has placed 23 local authority areas in and around London, the south east and the Midlands under a yellow weather warning which has already come into force.<\/p>\n

It will last until the early hours of tomorrow, with its expiry date set to 2am. Among the chaos expected, it urges people to be vigilant as there is a risk of lethal hail, damage to buildings and power cuts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In its statement issued this evening, the forecaster added that thunderstorms have already started in some areas and that they are expected to become more widespread as dusk sets in.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It says: “Thunderstorms with frequent lightning have already affected parts of the warning area, these continuing into the evening in places.\u00a0<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong> Met Office issues urgent rain warning as regions set for flooding and power cuts<\/strong><\/p>\n

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“An increasing risk of longer-lasting intense downpours too, especially later this evening and further east across the warning area, for example towards south Lincolnshire and East Anglia.<\/p>\n

“These storms are likely to be focused in relatively narrow bands, so some places will miss the worst, while a few locations might catch 25-50 mm of rain within two or three hours, along with frequent lightning and gusty winds.”<\/p>\n

The warning also delivers the possibility of commuter chaos this evening, as flash flooding could lead to standing water on roads – and could halt rail services.<\/p>\n

It says some buildings run a risk of being struck by lightning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Full list of affected places<\/h3>\n