UK weather forecast: Temperatures to drop 10C in 24 hours as thunderstorms herald end to heatwave

Cooler conditions inbound as Britain's sweltering summer looks set to be over

Thunderstorm warnings have been issued for southern England as the heatwave which parts of Britain have been basking in comes to an abrupt end.

Temperatures in excess of 30C recorded in London on Tuesday could plummet by 10 degrees within 24 hours, forecasters say.

Yellow weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office for London, the southeast and East Anglia on Tuesday afternoon, with a risk of storms and heavy rain.

Meteorologists have warned some areas could see large amounts of rainfall within a short space of time, prompting a risk of isolated flooding and travel disruption.

“Some areas could see 20 to 30 millimetres of rain in an hour, really very sharp, heavy showers, the sort your car windscreen wipers struggle to cope with,” said Nicola Maxie of the Met Office.

“But, not everyone will see those conditions as they are only showers, so there will be some places within the warning area that will remain dry.”

So far this summer, parts of the UK have enjoyed heatwave conditions, with temperatures routinely breaking the 30C mark, while the mercury has on occasion pushed above 35C.

However, temperatures could now plummet by up to 10C on Wednesday as a front of cooler air is dragged across the British Isles.

The fresher conditions already recorded in western areas on Tuesday will be felt across the rest of the country in the coming days.

“The average temperature for August in the UK is 19C, so we have certainly been seeing some very good average temperatures so far this year,” Ms Maxie added.

“But, in the next couple of days we are going to see the temperatures drift back towards what you would normally expect to see at this time of year.”

Temperatures are likely to stay at average levels for August through Thursday and Friday and into the weekend, when most will see changeable conditions.

Early forecasts suggest most across the UK will see a mixture of sunshine, showers and overcast conditions, with the best weather for the weekend more likely to come on Sunday.