Areas of the UK experienced thunder and lightning storms on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, with Twitter users saying they had been woken up by the noise.
As the country prepares for what could be its hottest day on record on Thursday, thunderstorms moved into southern and western areas.
Social media users used the storm to their advantage, tweeting dramatic footage of the lightning as it struck in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
#thunderstorm just arrived,all of the southern cities of the UK ?? are being affected by the storm ⛈. pic.twitter.com/hKBAzbQWDT
— Saeed Qatan (@SaeedQatan) July 24, 2019
Many Twitter users complained that the combination of light, noise and heat meant they could not sleep at all.
It’s the warmest night of the year & the light show won’t let me sleep. #thunderstorm #hottestdayoftheyear pic.twitter.com/oI4mvwuSpF
— Mike Garnett (@mikegarnettpics) July 24, 2019
Footage was mainly caught from the south and west of England, with lightning shot on camera by a Twitter user in Brentwood, Essex.
Fantastic lightning show in the early hours of this morning over Brentwood, Essex ? #loveukweather @metoffice @EssexWeather pic.twitter.com/TTP9VvOSwg
— Kathleen Hands (@KathleenHands77) July 24, 2019
Many smartphones are now equipped with a “slow-motion” feature when filming video, and social media users tested the function as the electrical storm hit.
couldn’t help but attempt a slo-mo during the #thunderstorm pic.twitter.com/UGMwArSNY9
— Edd Dracott (@EddDracott) July 24, 2019
Due to the storms, the Met Office issued a yellow severe weather warning for most of England, Wales and Scotland until 9am on Wednesday.
Captured this stunning lightning strike early this morning….. shot on timelapse on my @GoProUK @GoPro #hero7black #southlincolnshire #weather #thunderstorm pic.twitter.com/aflzUa5DOC
— wayne (@wicker_1971) July 24, 2019
The storms came after temperatures across England exceeded 30C on Tuesday, with forecasters predicting possible record-breaking temperatures on Thursday.
Temperatures in London are expected to reach 38C on Thursday, which would pass the current record for a day in July, 36.7C, which was recorded in 2015.
The Met Office said there is a 40% chance the UK temperature record of 38.5C, which was recorded in August 2003, will be exceeded on Thursday.
