The UK Met Office has issued a Status Yellow thunderstorm warning for Northern Ireland tomorrow (Thursday, August 14).
While some place will stay dry, heavy showers and thunderstorms could cause disruption across Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry.
The warning will come into force from midnight and remain in place until 10:00p.m on Thursday.
The UK Met Office said that where heavy downpours occur, 20-40 mm of rain could fall in less than an hour, bringing the risk of some surface water flooding.
There may also be a risk of hail and lightning.
Weather and drought
The UK’s National Drought Group met earlier this week (Monday, August 11) with the current water shortfall situation in England now defined as a “nationally significant incident” .
Five areas are officially in drought, with six more experiencing prolonged dry weather following the driest six months to July since 1976.
Despite the unsettled weather last month, many river flows and reservoir levels in England continued to recede compared to June.
Rainstorms and showers helped mask the fact that July was still the fifth warmest on record.
August has started to see a return of drier conditions and the fourth heatwave of the summer – putting more pressure on already struggling public water supplies and navigational waterways.
The National Drought Group – which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts – used the meeting to highlight the water-saving measures each sector is taking.
Wildfire
Firefighters across Great Britain have been tackling fires in numerous locations over the past week, including a major incident in Dorset in which multiple stations battled a large wildfire suspected to have been deliberately started.
The wildfire, which originally broke out on Saturday, August 9, separated into several sections across 69ha, and required hundreds of firefighters to battle the blaze.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service strongly believe the major incident in Newton Heath was started deliberately.
Several roads were closed and local residents evacuated, while others in the area were advised to close windows and stay inside, away from smoke pollution.
The fire crews and local authorities are appealing to the public to come forward with any information on the fire,
