Yellow thunderstorm warning issued with torrential downpours forecast to wash out Wimbledon

Heavy rain could further disrupt play at Wimbledon on the outside courts. Credit: PA

Thunderstorms, torrential rain and frequent lightning threaten to wash out matches at Wimbledon and disrupt British Grand Prix qualifying this weekend.

A yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued from 9am on Saturday until 11.59pm with flash flooding likely as 50mm (2 inches) could be possible in a short space of time.

Frequent lightning, with gusty winds and large hail are also forecast as temperatures of 30C give way to storms.

Wimbledon has already been disrupted by rain delays during the first week of the Championships.

Heavy rain on Tuesday forced play to stop on the outside courts and the roofs on Centre Court and No 1 to be closed.

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The thunderstorms come after a yellow heat-health warning was issued for Friday and Saturday.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office issued a yellow heat-health alert on Thursday for six regions in England: London, the South East, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

The alert will be in place from midday on Friday until 9am on Sunday, with the Met Office forecasting temperatures of 27C to 28C on Friday before they rise to 30C in parts of the country on Saturday.

But the Met Office said temperatures could tail off as early as Saturday evening as thunderstorms sweep across the “spine” of England following two days of high temperatures.

All eyes will be on how Andy Murray at Wimbledon as he returns to a (perhaps covered) Centre Court trying to finish the job in his second-round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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Qualifying at the British Prix may be disrupted by heavy rain. Credit: PA

The 36-year-old suffered an injury scare in the penultimate point of Thursday night’s action, going down screaming when trying to change direction before picking himself up and delivering an unreturnable serve that put him 2-1 up.

The match referee then decided it was too late to start a fourth set, meaning Murray and Tsitsipas will return to Centre Court after Carlos Alcaraz v Alexandre Muller to finish with the Scot leading 6-7 (3) 7-6 (2) 6-4.

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