London and southern England rocked by violent thunderstorms, hail and wind

Southern parts of the UK today experienced significant storms that brought thunder, lightning, torrential downpours and large hailstones.

Met Office maps showed the extent of the storms as they swept across the Home Counties and London throughout the afternoon.

One person at Heathrow Airport said it was the worst storm they had experienced in 25 years.

Radar data showed rain falling at more than 32mm per hour in multiple areas, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Southampton, Maidstone and Oxfordshire.

Live lightning trackers show storms stretching from Weymouth in the south west to Canterbury in south east, covering much of London.

The storms are expected to spread eastward through the day, bringing further heavy rain and a risk of localised flooding.

The Met Office said temperatures this week are 15°C lower than last week due to low pressure.

They added that conditions will remain changeable, with rain, showers and increasingly windy weather later in the week.

The disruption comes on the first day of a 24-hour Tube strike, meaning more commuters are travelling on foot or by bike… and today facing a soaked journey home.

Only last week the UK experienced its hottest ever temperatures with a wall-to-wall sunshine across many parts.

The Met Office recorded six consecutive days above 30°C in some places, making Spring 2026 the warmest on record for England and Wales.

Spring rainfall was also 14% below the long-term average, meaning this week’s downpours will be more than welcome by gardeners.