Flash floods and thunderstorms hitting parts of the UK over the coming days will give way to breezier weather by the end of the week, forecasters have said. The fresher conditions, expected from late Wednesday onwards, will no doubt come as a relief to many after scorching temperatures over the weekend were quickly followed by heavy downpours and ongoing humidity.
The Met Office has issued an amber thunderstorm warning for areas of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset - with the likely chance of homes and businesses flooding, power cuts and transport chaos. Yellow warnings are also in place for most of the UK on Tuesday and for southern England on Wednesday.
It comes after weeks of little rain and warm conditions have caused droughts across parts of the UK, leaving land parched. The National Drought Group on Friday moved parts of the south west, southern and central England, and the east of England into official drought status - while six water companies have already or are planning to impose hosepipe bans.
