British weather reverts to type

The Musa family in Trafalgar Square on Monday

It is time to swap the bikinis for umbrellas as incredible temperatures seen in parts of Britain over the past few days give way to that summertime staple - rain.

As parts of the country still sweltered on Tuesday morning, forecasters warned of bad news on the horizon for all.

Northern Ireland and parts of southern England saw the worst of the weather overnight when thunder storms wrecked havoc.

Torrential rain caused dangerous driving conditions and Buckinghamshire came under assault from thunder and lightning.

Heavy downpours

In Milton Keynes, emergency services received 160 calls to houses which had been flooded or caught fire after lightning strikes.

On Tuesday, severe weather warnings were issued for Northern Ireland and northern England, where heavy downpours made driving conditions hazardous.

It makes one think of Noah and the Ark

Mervyn Rea
Mayor of Antrim

Around 10,000 people in Leicestershire were without power after electricity cables were disabled by the storms.

Forecasters said banks of fog were likely to hang around high ground in Scotland into the afternoon.

Flash flooding caused chaos in some parts of Northern Ireland after half an inch of rain fell in 30 minutes.

Sandbags had to be issued in Banbridge in Co Down and Crumlin, Co Antrim.

Biblical floods

Mervyn Rea, the mayor of Antrim, said the downpours were of Biblical proportions.

"It makes one think of Noah and the Ark," he said.

"Of course we have had such a rainy season, the water table is absolutely at its peak and once we get any further water, it has nowhere to go."

There will be rain just about everywhere by the end of the week

David Braine
Meteorologist

And even in the south-east of England, where it remained fine and sunny at 27C, rain was expected.

David Braine, senior meteorologist at the BBC Weather Centre, said a huge area of bad weather was waiting in the east and would move across the country by Tuesday evening.

"There is a chance of seeing heavy rain and thunder in central and southern England by the end of the day," he said.

It does not bode well for the athletics finals at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

There is an 80% chance of rain and forecasters thought there was a good chance of hail and thunder as well.

And there seems no chance it could improve for the weekend.

Mr Braine said: "There will be rain just about everywhere by the end of the week."