Severe weather warnings declared as lightning strikes and flooding is forecast

Severe weather warnings for heavy showers and thunderstorms leading to flooding, have been issued by the Met Office.

Brits are having a week of unsettled weather caused by a low pressure which is meaning rain, storms and even hailstone can be expected especially in the west of the country on Thursday.

And now the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms in the west of Wales which runs from 2am until 9am today.

There is also a warning for rain and flooding in Northern Ireland which runs from 5am until 10am.

"Slow moving heavy showers and possible thunderstorms likely to cause some disruption early on Thursday," the Met Office stated for north western Wales.

The weather warnings are for north west Wales and Northern Ireland (Met Office)

People have been told to expect: "Some flooding of a few homes and businesses, leading to some damage to buildings or structures.

"Some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes. Driving conditions will be affected by spray and standing water leading to longer journey times by car and bus.

"Some short term loss of power and other services. Delays to train services."

In Northern Ireland the severe weather is in the east.

The showers and storms have been caused because the country is in the grips of a low pressure system (PA)

"Heavy rain may bring localised flooding and some travel disruption," said the Met Office.

"Spray and flooding on roads probably making journey times longer. Bus and train services probably affected with journey times taking longer."

After Wednesday was a day of rain to the west of the country and sunshine in the east, it is set to be a similar outlook for today - although the showers are likely to be more widespread.

BBC forecaster Chris Fawkes said: “Thursday is another day of sunshine and showers.

Heavy rain is expected to be widespread across the UK today (PA)

"What you will notice over the next few days is that the winds will become really quite light and so where those showers form and they are going to be quite widespread, they are going to be slow moving in nature, some of them turning heavy, with some hail and thunder, we might even get some flash flooding from the heaviest of the downpours as well.

"Temperatures similar to what we have seen over recent days, high teens across western areas, low 20Cs in the warmest spots further east."

The weather is, though, expected to become more settled by the weekend with temperatures rising next week.