Weather watchers warn of thundery end to two days of scorching sunshine in Northamptonshire

Weather watchers are warning of a thundery end to two days of sunshine on Friday.

Met Office experts have issued a warning of thunderstorms just about everywhere today, with Northamptonshire most at risk between noon and 3pm today (June 25).

The county roasted on Wednesday and Thursday with thermometers soaring to a high of 31.5°C at the Met Office's Pitsford weather station yesterday — just 0.4°C short of the warmest June day in more than 20 years.

Friday will be hot and sticky, but not quite so hot with a maximum of 27°C forecast for Northamptonshire before fresher and cooler weather arrives through the weekend.

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Met Office forecaster Alex Deakin said: "It will be a warm start to Friday, but not the sunshine we have seen. There will be some cloud around and outbreaks of heavy rain.

"But then we are expecting further storms to break out during the course of the day in parts of the Midlands.

"As always with thunderstorms, they will be very hit and miss, But if you catch one you are going to catch some very heavy rain.

"Torrential downpours land large hailstones are possible along with thunder and lightning.

"Temperatures are going to still be in high-20s but is going to turn fresher for the weekend. And it will be a warm night on Friday but not as warm as with that fresher air on the way and it won't be as hot and won't be as humid."

Northamptonshire's warmest June day was three years ago when temperatures hit 31.9°C

But weekend forecasts say we will struggle to see 20°C on Saturday and Sunday with the chance of more storms tomorrow afternoon.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “We’ll see an end to the current hot spell this weekend as low pressure arrives from the Atlantic, bringing temperatures more typical for June.

"It’ll be breezy for all this weekend with heavy showers and longer spells of rain for most, though Sunday could brighten up across the southern half of the UK.”