UK weather: Met Office issues thunderstorm warning as floods close Exeter Airport

The weather in the UK is set to get brighter on Monday but remains unsettled after thunderstorms brought very heavy rain and flash flooding in many areas on Sunday.

Severe weather warnings were issued for most of England and parts of Wales over the weekend, as flash flooding forced the closure of Exeter Airport.

The Met Office said more than a month’s worth of rain could fall in a single day across parts of the UK by the end of Sunday. A yellow weather warning has been issued for thunderstorms and persistent heavy rain, with flooding possible in parts of Devon and Somerset.

Pictures and videos posted on social media showed roads covered in water after torrential rain caused flash flooding in Kenton, Devon and several other parts. Exeter Airport’s main terminal has been flooded, leading to flights being cancelled.

A yellow thunderstorm warning was in effect for the rest of southwest England and south Wales overnight until 6am on Monday.

The Met Office said thundershowers in eastern parts of the UK will begin to ease gradually, with a band of rain moving in from the west during the morning hours.

The Met Office’s David Oliver said: “Over the rest of today (Sunday) and tomorrow, we will see a move to breezy conditions, with the warmth and humidity of recent days pushing eastwards away from the UK.”

“This will allow for better and, at times, unstable conditions because of what is happening in the Atlantic.”

Exeter Airport said it hoped to reopen on Monday and urged travelers to check status updates with their airlines.

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An airport spokesman said: “Following the flash floods that occurred on Sunday afternoon, which caused the airport to be closed, our teams are working throughout the night to clean up and we expect to open our doors tomorrow morning, Monday.”

“We advise passengers to check with their airlines for the latest information about their flight, and please bear with us as we do our best to return all airport operations to normal.”

Temperatures are expected to drop again later Monday, bringing improved conditions with heavy rain in the afternoon.

The forecast said that some rain is expected to continue along the western coasts, and as the evening progresses, a group of clouds and heavy rain will sweep in from the west, increasing the risk of coastal storms in the western regions.

Today will also witness an increase in wind speed, which will increase instability.

Tuesday morning will also witness a continuation of unstable weather, with clouds and rain spreading quickly from the west.

However, there may be some relief awaiting southern parts of the UK, where a brief dry spell and bright spells are expected.

Although the rain may stop for a short period, today will remain windy, with strong gusts expected.

The Met Office warned that conditions were expected to remain “blissy at times” this week, and urged people to keep an eye on the forecast.

“It’s definitely worth keeping up with the forecast,” said Jonathan Vautrey, a meteorologist at the Met Office.

“Make sure to be careful because the weather can change in very short periods of time and be prepared for those gusty winds and possible large hail storms.”