Thunderstorms and heavy rain forecast for Tuesday

Photo: Tony Munro

Lightning above Heywood - lightning may pose a hazard in some locations

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to develop across most of northern and central England, including the Rochdale borough and Greater Manchester, on Tuesday (27 July).

Issuing a yellow warning between 9am on Tuesday (27 July) and 6am on Wednesday (28 July), the Met Office says: “The heavy showers will last well into the night across north west England, in particular where they could be prolonged in places.

“20 to 30mm of rain is possible in around one or two hours, and a few places could see around 60mm in three to six hours.

“Lightning and hail may pose additional hazards in a few locations.”

What to expect

• Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and possibly some road closures.
• Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services.
• There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater or lightning strikes.