Met Office issues weather warning for the UK - here's what it looks like for Manchester

The Met Office has said that Manchester looks to remain dry overnight tonight with variable amounts of cloud. A chance of heavier rain arriving to the far west of the region by dawn with a stronger breeze. Warm and humid. Minimum temperature 12 °C.

Tomorrow, the day will be dry to start with showery outbreaks of rain soon arriving, breaking up to thundery showers. Feeling warm and humid with a breeze. Maximum temperature 24 °C.

Further heavy showers and thunderstorms will arrive later on Friday, accompanied by hail and gusty winds. Very warm and humid on Friday, but fresher into the weekend with drier and brighter interludes.

Thunderstorms are expected to move into south-west England and south Wales overnight and Northern Ireland through Thursday morning, before further thunderstorms develop across parts of England and Wales during the afternoon.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Neil Armstrong said, “A weather system will push northwards through tomorrow, bringing heavy rain and a risk of thunderstorms to parts of southwest England, most of Wales, and later into Northern Ireland. 40mm of rain could fall in 3 hours or less leading to the potential for disruption. Further thunderstorms will develop during the afternoon across England and Wales, moving quickly northwards with hail and lightning. Temperatures will remain high, with 26 or 27°C possible again in the north Midlands and parts of north London.”

Further rain is expected across western areas early on Friday as a low-pressure system to the west draws in more warm, moist air from the south.

Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson said; “By Friday afternoon and evening, heavy and thundery showers are likely to spread across southeastern England and East Anglia, tracking north-eastwards overnight. There is currently some uncertainty around the exact location and intensity of the thunderstorms, but there is a risk that some areas could see 30 to 50mm of rain, with a risk of even larger accumulations possible.”

Adding: “With much of the rain falling in a short space of time there is a risk of impacts such as surface water flooding. Frequent lightning, gusty winds and hail could pose additional hazards. Updates to this warning are expected as confidence increases on the exact location of the greatest risk of the heaviest downpours.”

The Met Office also said that the risk of rain shifts further north into northern England and southern Scotland on Saturday and by Sunday a cooler westerly flow develops.