UK weather forecast: Met Office issues ‘danger to life’ flood warning with storms to batter Britain

The UK could see floods with the potential for property damage and "danger to life", as thunderstorms, rain and “unseasonably strong” winds expected to arrive on Thursday evening prompt extreme weather warnings.

Boardmasters music festival in Cornwall was cancelled hours before the gates were due to open on Wednesday over fears for the safety of attendees, while a sailing race on the Isle of Wight hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was brought forward amid forecasts of 50mph winds on the south coast.

The Met Office has issued five separate yellow warnings for rain, wind and thunderstorms, less than a fortnight after the UK experienced its second hottest day on record.

Heavy rainfall is set to engulf the southwest on Thursday evening, caused by a band of low pressure from across the Atlantic, predicted to affect most of the country before clearing into the North Sea on Friday evening, a Met Office spokesperson said.

Thunderstorms are expected to follow swiftly behind, which could see parts of the UK receive 35mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period.

Friday’s rain could bring floods, resulting in damage to homes and businesses, temporary isolation of rural communities and travel delays, while the ensuing storms could wreak similar havoc along with power outages, the Met Office’s website said.

Betting company Ladbrokes reportedly cut their odds of this being the wettest August in the UK’s history to 2:1, however a Met Office spokesperson said “there are no red flags waving at the moment”.

However, for residents in the Derbyshire town of Whaley Bridge threatened by the potential collapse of a nearby dam, the forecast spells worry.

The region is subject to the Met Office’s yellow warning for rain on Friday, which will likely bring 10-15mm, but the unpredictable nature of Saturday’s thunderstorms make it difficult to predict if they will also affect the area.

The adverse weather will also affect Scotland, which is also subject to two separate thunderstorm warnings on Wednesday and Thursday.

In the south, revellers at Boomtown Fair in the South Downs National Park in Hampshire will likely battle with rain and wind.

The organisers of Boardmasters festival, who had expected to welcome headliners Wu-Tang Clan and Foals, and around 50,000 attendees, said in a statement: “The safety of you, the fans and attendees, as well as performers and crew comes first, and the potential risk is too severe for the event to go ahead at this time.”

Meanwhile, Kensington Palace announced William and Kate’s outing as skippers in a Cowes sailing race would take place on Thursday, a day earlier than planned.

Aiming to raise money for eight charities by alongside figures like Bear Grylls, John Bishop and Helen Glover, the event would have seen eight teams vie for a trophy first awarded by King George in Cowes almost a century ago, dubbed the King’s Cup.

The unstable weather is expected to continue until the middle of August.

“Stay up to date with the forecast, keep up to date with the weather warnings and follow any guidance from the organisers of any events that you are attending,” the Met Office advised.