Glastonbury fans to avoid weekend washout despite thunderstorm warnings
The Met Office issued two yellow warnings for thunderstorms in parts of the UK including the South West.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Thunder and showers in parts of the UK will subside leaving sunny weather that should prevent a Glastonbury Festival washout, the Met Office has said.
Two yellow warnings for thunderstorms are in place until the early evening on Wednesday, with much of south-west England, Herefordshire and Worcestershire in the West Midlands, and Wales affected until 7pm.
Areas across the north-east of England and parts of eastern Scotland could also be hit until 6pm, with surface spray on roads likely.
But Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell downplayed fears of a deluge for festival-goers at the five-day Glastonbury event at Worthy Farm in Somerset, which opened to ticket-holders on Wednesday.
He said: “For Glastonbury, anyone there at the moment they might well see a few showers for the rest of today but then we’re dry really until Sunday when we might just see some patchy rain as we go into the afternoon.
“But at the moment it shouldn’t really scupper things too much.
“Temperatures quite warm, peaking probably on Saturday around 26C, so I think sun cream, sunhats, water are certainly going to be needed because I think it is going to be quite hot for them as they go through Friday and Saturday.”
He said Sunday’s weather will “probably be a little bit of relief” for festival-goers as cloud and outbreaks of rain begin to move in.
Mr Snell said a high of 25.9C had been recorded at St James Park in London on Wednesday at 1.30pm.
He added that “quite a few places in Norfolk and Suffolk” had also seen 25C during the day, so “East Anglia seems to be the warmest spot at the moment”.
“We’ve got some thunderstorms developing now across parts of eastern Scotland, some heavy showers also developing across south-west England too, so where the warning areas are that’s where we’ve seen some heavy showers.”
No further weather warnings are anticipated after Wednesday, with Mr Snell adding Thursday would be a “fairly similar day” with sunny spells and some well scattered showers in the Midlands, north-west England, and possibly eastern parts of Wales.
The south-east of England could expect highs of around 28C on Thursday and then up to 29C on Friday, with maximum temperatures in East Anglia and the South East potentially reaching 30C on Saturday and 31C or 32C on Sunday before rain begins to move in in the west.