UK weather live: Tornado alert issued as heavy rain and thunderstorms strike amid Met Office warnings

Earlier this week, before Thursday night’s rain, many parts of the country were impacted by heavy rain.

In Northamptonshire, residents at the Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park had to be evacuated due to flooding on Tuesday night.

AFC Wimbledon in south London said its pitch suffered “significant damage” after the nearby River Wandle broke its banks.

Here’s some pictures looking back:

In Bristol, a popular swimming pool has had to close after heavy rain earlier this week damaged its roof.

The Bristol South Swimming Pool had recently reopened after a refubishment, but following downpours earlier this week, and subsequent roof damage, the pool has had to close “with immediate effect”.

It’s not yet known when it will reopen.

Network Rail, which manages stations and railway lines across the country, has issued a warning to passengers who will be catching services in the morning.

Following the wet weather tonight in many areas of the country, the group warns rain can slow down journeys, causing disruptions for users.

As of 11.20pm, the Environment Agency had 51 flood warnings in place across England, meaning flooding is expected, and 120 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible.

Areas of Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire are listed as being the most vulnerable.

The Met Office said: “Slow moving showers and thunderstorms will develop through the afternoon, merging into a large band of heavy rain through the evening, before clearing slowly south overnight.

“Some places, especially across central and eastern parts of the warning area, are likely to receive 30-40mm in three hours or less, and perhaps 50-60mm or more in around six hours.

“This rain will fall onto already saturated ground and affect communities recovering from recent flooding. Travel disruption and further flooding is likely, with rivers continuing to rise after the rain clears.”

Looking past the wet weather tonight and on Friday, the Met Office is forecasting a chilly Saturday before more wet weather on Sunday.

Met Office deputy chief neteorologist David Oliver said: “The rain will clear south during Friday allowing Arctic air to cross the country. This gives a much colder but quieter interlude in the south on Saturday, although a few showers will spread across northern areas.

“An area of low pressure then moves in from the southwest later in the weekend and crosses the UK during Sunday and Monday.

“Although there is still some uncertainty about the exact behaviour of this system and therefore where may see any impacts, it will bring the potential for some wet and windy weather late on Sunday and into the start of next week. Stay up to date with the latest forecast for your area.”

While the rain comes down in many areas of the country, we look back here at a picture taken today on the River Cam in Cambridge where passengers on a boat protect themselves from the downpours.

Cambridge is under an amber alert tonight, which means flooding is likely.