Britain’s sunny weather is seemingly over as the 26C heat is replaced by thunderstorms and torrential rain.
Summer storms are expected to continue across the UK tonight with torrential rain promising a wash out after the scorching temperatures over the weekend.
Yellow weather warnings are in place across the UK including over Manchester, Scotland and much of Wales as the Met Office warns heavy showers an thunderstorms could lead to disruption and flooding.
The stormy weather, which comes with ‘danger to life warnings’ is set to continue through to Tuesday and Wednesday but mainly over southern England northern Scotland.
While temperatures reached 26C across parts of the UK, Brits should be prepared for chillier weather over the next few days with highs in the mid-teens.
Hikers don red ponchos for their walk in Builth Wells, Powys, wales as thunderstorms hit the Welsh coast
Drivers in Manchester had to battle torrential downpours earlier today while others across the UK soaked up the remaining sun
Locals in Powys were caught in heavy rain which is set to spread across the UK tonight and tomorrow as the Met Office warns of thunderstorms across Britain
Some part of the UK have already been drenched by the changing weather.
Parts of northern England including Manchester were soaked this afternoon while beach-goers in southern England tanned themselves in the sun.
The UK should prepare for heavy rain and dust off the waterproofs as wet and windy weather moves eastwards across the UK, soaking Wales and northern England before moving on to Scotland.
The sudden change in weather might come as a surprise to many but the calmer weather returns for Tuesday onwards with local thundery showers and sunny spells.
Before the cooler, wetter weather hit, Brits flocked to parks and beaches throughout the UK on the ‘hottest day of the year’.
The Met Office has issued three yellow thunderstorm warnings for the majority of Wales, parts of southwest and northwest England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
But despite the weather warnings, Britons headed outdoors to bathe in temperature highs of 26C (78.8F).
Thunderstorms are predicted to batter parts of Wales and England between 12pm and 10pm today.
Honor Criswick, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said the storms might ‘band together’ in areas across the UK, resulting in intense bursts of lightning and heavy rainfall.
She said: ‘In the areas with heavy showers, it’s expected to get a bit gustier as well, and surface water flooding is also a possibility.’
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COUNTY LAOIS, IRELAND: Locals jumping off a bridge into the river in Vicarstown
DORSET: People enjoying the sunny weather on Bournemouth Beach this morning
Spells of heavy rain are also expected to hit eastern areas of Northern Ireland on Monday, with a warning in place from 12pm until 6am on Tuesday.
The same warning is in place for southern Wales on Monday, where heavy rain is forecast for areas including Swansea and Cardiff between 8am and midnight.
Ms Criswick said these storms are likely to mean there is a week of milder weather ahead.
She said: ‘It will still be fairly warm, with temperatures in the high teens and early 20s, but cooler than it has been over the past few days.’
The temperature records for the year were broken three times over the past week, with Thursday, Saturday and then Sunday seeing increasingly hot temperatures across the country.
The Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge, predicted today would be even hotter for some parts of the UK.
He added: ‘The difference [on Sunday] is that it is not likely to be as warm for Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland.
DORSET: A swimmer diving off the Cobb harbour wall in to the sea while enjoying the scorching hot spring sunshine at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis
Thunderstorms are predicted to hit the majority of majority of Wales, parts of southwest and northwest England, Northern Ireland and Scotland
‘The really warm air will probably be confined to southern and eastern parts of England, with temperatures expected to peak in central parts of the country at around 27C.’
Noting that yellow thunderstorm warnings has been issued in several parts of the UK, Mr Partridge said more significant rainfall is expected.
People in areas with a yellow warning should expect some disruption, especially to travel.
Spray and sudden flooding could cause difficult driving conditions and an increased likelihood of power cuts, the Met Office reports.
This comes shortly after temperatures peaked in Chertsey, Surrey which recorded the warmest temperature of 27.5C on Sunday while 25.3C was recorded in Usk in South Wales, the Met Office said.
Herstmonceux, East Sussex recorded 25.9C while Cassley, northern Scotland recorded a blistering temperature of 25.7C on Saturday.
LONDON: A woman relaxing with headphones in the spring sunshine on Wimbledon Common today
DORSET: A woman relaxing in the shade of a bright orange umbrella in the blistering spring sunshine at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis
DORSET: Hundreds of beach-goers enjoying the warm weather on Bournemouth beach today
Gogerddan in Wales saw temperatures of 25.1C, whilst the heat in Northern Ireland hit highs of 23.8C in Magilligan.
Temperatures climbed steadily over the week, as temperatures shot up to 24.6C in St James’s Park, London, as thousands delighted in the warm sunshine on Friday.
But many beach-goers bear Brighton were left shocked as the sea along the south coast of England turned a filthy brown colour amid public.
It comes just one year after the the popular tourism hotspot was named one of the worst areas for sewage dumps.
Hundreds of thousands of Brits also reported seeing the Northern Lights from their windows on Friday night thanks to a severe geomagnetic storm that threatens to disrupt the world’s power grids.
Pictures shared on social media showed large swathes of the country draped in a spectacular light display known as an aurora.
Amazing shades of green and purple were captured in the skies above the UK including in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Tyne and Wear, Essex, Berkshire and Kent.
Scientists previously raised concerns that the geomagnetic storm – the first to strike Earth in almost 20 years – has the power to disrupt power grids, mobile networks and GPS satellites.
On Friday Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson said: ‘Many places will start fine and warm on Sunday, though it is likely to become cloudier from the west or southwest during the day.
‘This will be accompanied by scattered showers, which could be heavy with thunder.
‘On Monday we’re likely to see more widespread and longer-lived spells of rain, some of which will be heavy and thundery.
Brown, murky seawater was spotted by sunbathers in Brighton earlier today in one of the worst areas for sewage dumps in the UK
MERSEYSIDE: A dog plays with a ball on New Brighton Beach on the Wirral on Sunday
MERSEYSIDE: Two women walking their dogs on a beach in Wirral on May 12
MERSEYSIDE: Lifeguards set up New Brighton Beach this morning
‘This will also lead to a much cooler feel to the day.’
The warm weather brings an increase in UV levels.
Weather conditions are expected to return to a more unsettled pattern heading into next week.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Harris said: ‘Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to break out on Sunday morning, most likely across southwest England and Wales, but possibly also across western Northern Ireland too.
‘They’ll track steadily north through the afternoon whilst probably growing into larger clumps of rain before clearing Scotland overnight.
‘Some intense downpours are possible in a few places, giving up to 30mm in less than hour and perhaps 40-50mm over two to three hours. Hail, frequent lightning strikes and strong wind gusts will be additional localised hazards.’