Leeds weather: Met Office issues yellow thunderstorm warning with heavy rain and hail forecast

The Met Office yellow alert is in place across Leeds and West Yorkshire from 12pm to 9pm on Sunday (June 11). Forecasters warn there is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus.

Delays to train services are possible, as well as damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes. There is described as “a slight chance” that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost.

Met Office officials said: “High temperatures on Sunday will trigger a scattering of showers across the warning area, some of which are likely to be torrential and thundery, perhaps bringing a few places 30-40 mm in an hour. The odd place, affected by multiple showers, could see more than this, perhaps in excess of 60 mm in a few hours, this being most likely across Wales and central England.

"As well as rain, additional hazards will be hail, strong gusts of wind, and lightning will be additional hazards. Despite this, many places in the warning area will remain dry, or only see small amounts of rain, due to the scattered nature of the heaviest showers.”

It comes as officials expect a “warm plume of air being drawn in from the south” that will bring hotter and more unsettled conditions, and will lead to the first heat-health alert of the year. Temperatures in Leeds are expected to reach as high as 25C on Saturday afternoon.