The Met Office has issued a warning for thunderstorms and heavy rain on Sunday, just a day after what could be the hottest day of the year so far.
The yellow weather warning is active from midday to 10pm on Sunday, with thunderstorms expected across parts of western and central England and Wales.
It will follow a bright start to the weekend, with temperatures across the country substantially warmer than their seasonal averages.
Parts of south-east England are expected to reach a maximum of 26C on Saturday, beating the current record this year of 23.4C in Santon Downham in Suffolk.
The Met Office says that on Friday, mist and fog patches will soon clear, leaving a fine warm day with plenty of sunshine across the country.
It will be perhaps cloudier at times across the far northeast of Scotland, with any early rain quickly clearing from here.
Tonight there will be plenty of evening sunshine, then dry overnight with prolonged clear spells. With light winds, there will be some mist and fog patches forming in places.
Meanwhile, on Saturday a warm sunny day is expected for many, though some patchy coastal mist is possible in places.
A few heavy afternoon showers or thunderstorms will develop across northern England and southern Scotland, the Met Office adds.
Meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “Sunday we will start to see a change.”
He added: “Further West increasing cloud and increasing chance of seeing some showers breaking out particularly by the afternoon and into the evening.”
He continued: “There is still a question mark on how many showers we see during the course of Sunday.”
The arrival of Spring saw further downpours, with England and Wales recording more than 150% of their long-term average monthly rainfall, the Met Office said.
The weather has also been colder and duller than average, with March recording just 95.2 hours of sunshine – 87% of the long-term average – and colder-than-average temperatures at the start of the month.
How to stay safe during thunder and lightning
Before the thunderstorm
To avoid power surges during lightning, unplug non-essential appliances.
Seek shelter when thunder is heard as lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from the storm centre.
During the thunderstorm
During lightning, avoid using landlines unless it’s an emergency, stay away from water, trees, poles, and metal objects such as golf clubs, fishing rods, umbrellas and wire fencing.
Squat close to the ground with hands on knees and head tucked between them, and avoid lying on the ground.
If you feel your hair standing on end, drop to the above position immediately.
After the thunderstorm
Avoid downed power lines or broken cables.
If someone is struck by lightning, they often suffer severe burns. The strike also affects the heart, so check if they have a pulse.
Driving in a thunderstorm
If you are caught out in thunder and lightning it is advised that you wind up the windows and stay inside your car.
In the vast majority of cars with a metal roof and frame, the frame will act as a conductive Faraday cage, passing the current around the passengers inside and on to the ground.
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