Met Office 'protect yourself' warning as thunderstorms set for 26 areas - full list

Met Office 'protect yourself' warning as thunderstorms set for 26 areas - full list The Met Office has extended its yellow thunderstorm warning covering 26 areas, with up to 40mm of rain, lightning, hail and flash flooding possible across parts of the UK. The Met Office has extended its yellow thunderstorm warning covering 26 areas this week, with torrential rain, lightning, hail and flash flooding forecast across parts of the UK. The warning, which covers parts of northern England and north Wales, came into force at 7pm on Wednesday and had been due to expire at 10am on Thursday, before being extended until 1pm. Forecasters say some places could see 15-20mm of rain in just one hour, with up to 40mm possible over several hours and a risk of flash flooding. Heavy downpours and thunderstorms are forecast to persist into Thursday morning before conditions begin to improve later in the day. The Met Office has warned that homes and businesses could be flooded, while transport services may face delays and some areas could experience power cuts. Lightning and hail could bring additional hazards, while drivers may face difficult conditions because of spray and standing water, leading to longer journey times by road and bus. The heavy rain also comes after weeks of hot and dry weather, which could leave roads particularly slippery. RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: "Oil, fuel and rubber deposits that have built up over many weeks will now have been mixed together by the light rain, instead of being washed away, which means drivers are at greater risk of skidding on greasy roads. "If heavier rain arrives, motorists may have to contend with the danger of flash floods in some areas." The change in weather will also bring cooler temperatures as northerly winds develop across the UK. Temperatures are expected to stay below 25C across the UK on Thursday for the first time since June 29. It follows the UK's fifth heatwave of the summer, during which the hottest day of the year was recorded at Kew Gardens in London when temperatures reached 38.1C. The recent spell of dry weather has also resulted in drought conditions across the whole of Wales and almost three quarters of England. Full list of 26 areas affected by the thunderstorm warning East Midlands - Derbyshire North East England - Darlington - Hartlepool - Middlesbrough - Redcar and Cleveland - Stockton-on-Tees North West England - Blackburn with Darwen - Blackpool - Cheshire East - Cheshire West and Chester - Greater Manchester - Halton - Lancashire - Merseyside - Warrington Wales - Conwy - Denbighshire - Flintshire - Gwynedd - Isle of Anglesey - Wrexham Yorkshire & Humber - East Riding of Yorkshire - North Yorkshire - South Yorkshire - West Yorkshire - York