As if today’s Tube strikes weren’t bad enough, London’s commuters faced an even more miserable journey home on Tuesday evening as thunder and lightning battered the capital.
With Tube lines either suspended completely or severely delayed, many Londoners were forced to walk, cycle or catch buses to reach their destinations, with thousands caught in the deluge.
Some awesome lightning shots taken today in NW London! 🌩️📸
— British Severe Weather Group (@britsvrwxgroup) June 2, 2026
credits: @notkindofokay #UKWeather #UKStorms #Thunderstorms #UKWX pic.twitter.com/nQo8TkMJH2
Many took to social media to share dramatic shots of lightning flashes in the sky above the city.
One user on X wrote “The thunder storm over south London is *insane*”, while another posted: “It's biblical stuff in central London atm. Thunder, lighting, hail, gails [sic].”
We're aware of a tree that has fallen on Carlyle Square off King's Road in Chelsea. Our officers are en route to assist. Keep an eye on this feed for updates. pic.twitter.com/ZBTJwo7mrb
— Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (@RBKC) June 2, 2026
King’s Road in Chelsea has been blocked in both directions by a fallen tree, with images shared showing the tree covering both pavements on the street.
The fallen tree between Old Church Street and Bramerton Street resulted in long queues of traffic in both directions for hours after it was first reported, with the road finally reopening shortly before 7pm.
Tree struck by lightning, has fallen across the #Kingsroad Very dramatic! pic.twitter.com/LKrCJnd7bY
— Melinda Hughes (@melhugsopera) June 2, 2026
A spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council said: “We're aware of a tree that has fallen on Carlyle Square off King's Road in Chelsea.
“Our officers are en route to assist. Keep an eye on this feed for updates.”
Meanwhile, Belmont station in Sutton was flooded due to the heavy rain, meaning Thameslink trains running between Epsom Downs and Sutton were unable to stop at the station.
A power cut at Limehouse also meant that fewer trains were able to run on the London-bound line during rush hour.
