UK battered by wind and rain as Met Office issues weekend weather warnings
Events across the country have been cancelled as a result of the forecasts.
The UK has been hit with a number of weather warnings ahead of the Wimbledon finals this weekend.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for wind for large parts of the south of England and South Wales, with Scotland and Northern Ireland facing a yellow warning for thunderstorms.
The warning for strong gusts of wind is in place from 9am until midnight on Saturday, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have a thunderstorm warning from 10am until 11pm.
The forecast forced Goodwood Festival of Speed organisers to cancel the event’s first day for the first time in its 30-year history.
The organisers said: “On-site safety is our highest priority and the forecasted high winds will pose a serious risk to various temporary structures across the site. We politely ask that you do not travel to Goodwood or attempt to access the site.”
Tom Morgan, meteorologist at the Met Office, told the PA news agency: “For the middle part of July we’re seeing quite unseasonably unsettled weather.
“We’ve got quite strong winds today across southern areas where we will potentially see gusts as high as 55mph bringing some minor disruption and damage to trees, for example, particularly in South Wales and southern parts of England.
“We’ve also got some thunderstorms which are moving through quite quickly in the south because of the wind, but the thunderstorms in Scotland and Northern Ireland will be much slower.
“There are many outdoor events expected to take place this weekend, we do urge you, wherever you are, to keep an eye on the forecast and leave plenty of time for your journeys because the weather may well cause some disruption from either strong winds or thunder and heavy rain.”
The M4 was hit with flooding on Saturday morning as wind and rain hit South Wales. Traffic Wales confirmed junction 43 at Llandarcy was flooded with a 30mph speed limit introduced.
One village in Wales also saw a landslide as a result of the conditions. Transport for Wales wrote on its website: “Due to a landslide near Troed Y Rhiw the line is blocked.
“Structural engineers are on site, but the line will remain closed for the rest of the day.”
Wimbledon organisers announced on Twitter that the ticket queue will be closed on Saturday due to the yellow weather warning of wind.
Guests heading to SW19 were advised to dress “appropriately” and “come prepared for the inclement weather”.
Mr Morgan said: “For Wimbledon in particular we have the women’s singles final today. There is a risk of showers and potentially thunderstorms for the final today but perhaps the greatest impact will be the strength of the wind today.
“For tomorrow’s men’s singles final, the winds should be quite a bit lighter but it’ll still be quite noticeably breezy so you will still notice the winds through Centre Court.
“There’s a drier day in prospect for Wimbledon tomorrow but I wouldn’t entirely rule out a shower. I think the final gets under way around 2pm tomorrow so there is a chance of showers coming through tomorrow afternoon. There’s potential for an interruption.
“As we look at a general UK perspective, it is an improved day tomorrow. The winds will be easing down. It’s still breezy and there will still be showers around but we don’t anticipate quite the same number of intense downpours that we’ll see on Saturday.
“There will be some longer, sunnier intervals between showers tomorrow and it will feel a fraction warmer given that the winds will be a bit lighter.
“It stays very changeable going into the working week as well, low pressure never too far away, and that will bring showers, but compared to recent days it’ll be generally a lot drier and the winds will be a lot less strong too.”
In Dorset, the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival has been cut short as the weekend union event was hit with “extreme adverse weather conditions”.
Organisers said on Saturday: “In the interests of clarity, even though the weather is set to improve tomorrow, the rest of the festival will not be going ahead due to the logistical demands of safely resetting the site.”
Warning those covered by the thunderstorm warning, Mr Morgan continued: “There is potential for some flooding locally for the next day or two but the emphasis is more likely to be across Scotland and Northern Ireland where the downpours are more likely to be prolonged.
“Anywhere is at risk of seeing short periods of intense rainfall and some hail mixed in with the thunderstorm.
“For example, if you happen to see a thunderstorm across an urban area, the water won’t drain away as quickly, resulting in flooding under bridges and in tunnels where the water gets funnelled.
“It’s just about allowing yourself extra time for your journeys and just being aware of the weather situation.”
Temperatures will widely be in the high teens or low 20s, which is average for the time of year.
Sunday is expected to be less windy but showers will continue for parts of northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a risk of thunder, while further south will see a mix of sunny spells and showers.
