Weather watchers are warning of more storms heading towards Northamptonshire on Monday (September 5) following spectacular thunder and lightning in the early hours.
Skies were lit up at around 1am, prompting one resident to post on social media: “That was wild, I've never seen a flash so bright, all the streetlights went out thinking it was daytime for a moment.”
BBC Weather reported in excess of 36,000 lightning strikes in and around the UK in just 12 hours while the Met Office climate station at Pitsford confirmed 10.1cms of rain fell in 24 hours to 10am on Monday.
Another Met Office yellow alert has been issued for the East Midlands from 2pm to 2am on Tuesday (September 6), although the worst of the weather is likely to miss Northamptonshire.
A spokesman said: “Thunderstorms are likely to develop during Monday afternoon and become more organised through the evening, moving north through Oxfordshire and Leicestershire during the early hours of Tuesday.
"Whilst some places will see little or no rainfall, a few locations may see torrential rain with 20-30 mm falling in one hour and 50-80 mm in three hours. Additional hazards accompanying stronger thunderstorms include frequent lightning, hail and gusty winds, particularly during the evening period.”
1. Spectacular storms light up Northampton skies at 1am
@NNweather posted this chart showing torrential rain and lightning strikes across Northamptonshire during the early hours Photo: @nnweather
2. Spectacular storms light up Northampton skies at 1am
Skies over Northampton lit up by the wild lightning at around 1am Photo: Jensen Houghton
3. Spectacular storms light up Northampton skies at 1am
Lightning flashes over Upton, Northampton Photo: Ben Parsons
4. Spectacular storms light up Northampton skies at 1am
You'd be forgiven for thinking this was taken at Northampton at one in the afternoon rather than 1am Photo: @tonycmk