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THUNDERSTORMS are sweeping in to end the 33C heatwave – with some areas of the UK already being hit by flash floods.
Most Brits face one more sticky night tonight before the warm spell comes to an end tomorrow with the Met Office forecasting outbreaks of thunder and lightning across country tomorrow.
Tesco Inshes Inverness where they had to close the store due to flooding[/caption]
Thunderstorms have sparked flash floods[/caption]
Heavy rain and storm in Inverness which led to hole in roof at the Vue cinema[/caption]
Floods hit Llanrwst in N Wales this afternoon with roads closed[/caption]
But the heatwave has already come to an abrupt end for people in Scotland and Northern Ireland as heavy rain and thunderstorms have moved in tonight.
The Met Office has warned of flash flooding and power cuts as showers beat down across the two regions.
A weather warning for thunderstorms in Northern Ireland tonight has been upgraded to Amber.
It warns 60mm – about three weeks’ rain at this time of year – could fall in two or three hours and “fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely – causing danger to life”.
The waterworks is a sign of what England faces tomorrow, when yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms cover the entire UK.
The warning reduces to just England and Wales on Tuesday, with just the south west and south east of England facing a third day of yellow warnings on Wednesday until 11.59pm, as the rain eases off elsewhere.
The thunderstorm has already caused flooding.
Customers were evacuated from a Tesco supermarket in Inverness after water poured in through the ceiling on Sunday afternoon.
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Videos on social media showed tiles on the ceiling falling to the floor and water pouring in, covering most of the floor in the supermarket.
The area was affected by heavy thunderstorms and torrential rain for most of Sunday.
The store was evacuated and remains closed.
A Tesco spokesperson, said: “Our Inverness Inshes Extra store is temporarily closed while we assess some damage to the roof.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience. We’re working to reopen as soon as possible.”
A car park close to the supermarket, located in the Inshes Retail Park, was also flooded, as was a nearby Vue cinema.
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It comes after an official drought was declared in eight areas of England on Friday by the National Drought Group (NDG), which comprises representatives from the Government, water companies, the Environment Agency (EA) and others.
Three water companies – Welsh Water, Southern Water, and South East Water – have all imposed hosepipe bans, while Yorkshire Water has announced a ban will start on August 26 and Thames Water is planning one in the coming weeks.
On Saturday, residents in Surrey were without water on Saturday after issues hit the Netley Mill Water Treatment Works.
Water supplier Thames Water apologised and handed out bottled water to residents in Guilford, Surrey Hills, Dorking and Horsham while engineers worked to restore the supply.
By Sunday morning the problem had been fixed, with residents being told water was “gradually returning to the area”.
A statement from Thames Water said: “Problems at Netley Mill Water Treatment Works have been fixed and supply is gradually returning to the area. We’re identifying and unblocking air pockets in the system to allow taps to flow normally.
“As supplies return, you may notice spluttering, cloudiness or low pressure – but this will improve.”
Councillor Liz Townsend from Surrey County Council criticised Thames Water for the supply issues during one of the hottest weekends of the year.
She told BBC Breakfast: “This is happening more and more now with warm weather.
“We had this problem last year as well here.
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“And to be honest, the service is not fit for purpose now and residents are rightly getting very, very annoyed about what they’re having to put up with.”
She added that Thames Water “failed this time to meet the needs of the vulnerable as well in and around Cranleigh and Ewhurst” after she received messages from elderly people saying they had not been delivered any water.
Water levels have plummeted at Baitings Reservoir in Yorkshire during the heatwave[/caption]
Daredevil swimmers leap off the Cobb Harbour wall and into the sea to cool off at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis[/caption]
