Britons set for brief respite from heatwave as thunderstorms to blow heat away

Britons are set for a brief respite from the heatwave as thunderstorms look set to blow away the heat over the coming days.

Temperatures are set to dip in the next few days as thunderstorms will grip the northeast of Scotland.

Humidity will drop across England, Scotland and Wales, which will cool homes and make for more comfortable sleeping conditions.

The drop in temperature comes after Tuesday saw the UK register its 34th day of temperatures over 30C or higher, matching a record set in 1995.

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The respite will only last for a few days as residents should prepare for the sixth heatwave to develop later in the week.

A large area of low pressure has already caused heavy and thundery rain for millions of people across the north and western parts of the UK.

Thunderstorms are expected to continue throughout Scotland throughout Wednesday.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy slow-moving showers that will take place between 10am and 9pm today.

It has stated: “Heavy, slow-moving showers and some thunderstorms are likely to break out from late morning.

“Along with lightning, gusty winds and some hail, these will have the potential to give 20-30mm of rain in 1-2 hours and perhaps 50mm in a few places over 3-6 hours.

“This may lead to localised flash flooding, and impacts to the transport network.

By Thursday, temperatures should sit between 16C and 24C across the UK, and will feel significantly cooler than in recent days.

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Experts have warned that prolonged heatwave conditions, low rainfall, and shrinking water supplies are creating dangerous conditions, with the historic drought of 1976 now on the verge of being surpassed.

Official drought status is currently declared across London, Hertfordshire, East Anglia, Thames Valley, the West Midlands, Wessex, the South Coast, the South West, and the entire nation of Wales.

Last month was the driest England and Wales have ever been since records began almost two centuries ago, the Met Office confirmed.

England had a mere 6.5mm of rainfall while Wales recorded a measly 9.3mm in July, which is less than half of the previous records set.

Some places in England recorded less than 1mm of rainfall during the whole month.

Farmers have warned that yield from harvests this year will be “very, very poor” due to the lack of rainfall.

The Chief Executive of the National Farmers Union, Tom Bradshaw, said: “Harvest yields are looking poor, farmers are struggling to access water to irrigate fruit and vegetables and livestock farmers are having to use grass they cut this spring for their stores of winter feed for cattle, as there’s very little grass growing now.

“If this summer teaches us anything, it is that we must prioritise food production.

“This means urgent action to bolster our water security and ensuring our food security is treated as a vital part of our nation’s critical infrastructure.”

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