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RAIN, THUNDERSTORMS AND HAIL HAVE HIT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY 20:13, 21 May 2025 A tornado with winds which could be 'quite damaging' could hit the UK, forecasters have warned. Sunny
weather seen across Britain in recent days has made way for heavy downpours, with showers widespread. Rain, thunderstorms and hail have been battering parts of the UK following the driest
start to spring in nearly six decades. READ MORE: TWO MEN WITH JAY SLATER AT AIRBNB BEFORE TENERIFE DEATH 'HAVE VANISHED', COURT TOLD Met Office meteorologist Dean Hall said single
and multicell thunderstorms have been breaking out across parts of the West Midlands, South East England and central southern England on Wednesday, May 21. He said: "When thunderstorms
develop, depending on the nature of the storm, if you’ve got the right ingredients there to produce a tornado they will form – same with funnel clouds as well. Article continues below
"With the nature of these thunderstorms if a tornado was to be put down in a populated area then it would get recognised, obviously, because it may cause some damage. "You can get
some strong winds with tornadoes, quite damaging." No tornadoes have been reported so far. But if any were to develop, it is rare they would occur in towns and cities and it is unlikely
they would be big, Mr Hall said. The Environment Agency previously warned there was a risk of drought this summer without sustained rainfall. As of last week, 80.6mm of rain had been
recorded for the UK this spring - almost 20mm less than the record low for the full season of 100.7mm set in 1852. Areas around Brighton and Hove have seen the worst of the rain so far, with
about 8mm of rainfall recorded in Plumpton, East Sussex. Mr Hall said: "We are seeing some heavy showers and thunderstorms breaking out across parts of the West Midlands, down towards
South East England and central southern England. "We are seeing a few lightning returns as well, lightning flashes in some of the data. _DON'T MISS THE BIGGEST AND BREAKING STORIES
BY SIGNING UP TO THE BIRMINGHAMLIVE NEWSLETTER HERE._ "Some of those showers have been producing some small hail as well and probably within the vicinity of those heavy showers, some
gusty winds – gusting 30mph in one or two places." Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill warned that a cold front could bring cloud and rain across eastern Scotland and then down the
eastern side of England overnight, with frost possible across some parts of Scotland. It is expected to be drier on Thursday, May 22, with a few showers across parts of the south west. He
said: "But these won’t be as intense as the showery bursts that we’ll have seen through today. "There will again be a good amount of sunshine on offer." Article continues
below Conditions are also expected to be 'mostly fine' on Friday, May 23. But there could be wet and windy weather over the weekend. Mr Burkill said: "A real change from what
we’ve become used to so far this spring."