Thunderstorms bring flash floods

A dramatic lightning flash over the Severn Estuary at the storm's height

Parts of Wales have been hit by flash flooding after powerful storms brought heavy overnight rain and hailstones.

Homes in several areas of south Wales had to be pumped out when rain poured down at what forecasters called "an incredible rate".

Emergency teams were called to Chepstow, Cardiff and Swansea as storms hit on Friday night and early Saturday.

A police station in Chepstow was among the buildings flooded, and Gwent Police said it had been knee-deep in water.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said they were called to eight houses in Chepstow, and four properties in the Llanishen area of Cardiff, to pump water away.

Mid Wales Fire and Rescue Service received 44 calls from people in Swansea when the storms hit, but said in most cases the water had subsided by the time they arrived.

Some places got an absolute downpour Matthew Dobson, weather forecaster

Mid and West Wales Fire Service responded to 44 calls in 90 minutes from shortly before midnight on Friday.

Firefighters pumped out water from the Dylan Thomas Theatre in Swansea and house in Clos Maes Yr Ysgol, Pontarddulais, and Lan Street, Morriston.

Insp Sian Flynn of Gwent Police said: "There was exceptional weather in the area, with very heavy rain for a short period."

She said the damage at the Chepstow police station was being assessed, but added: "The water went away almost as quickly as it came."

Moist air

Matthew Dobson, forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said rain fell at the rate of about 4in (10cm) an hour for a short time.

He said: "Some places got an absolute downpour. The rain was falling at an incredible rate for a short period of time.

"It started in the Wiltshire area then moved to south Wales. In Monmouthshire, they had actually had about an inch falling in an hour.

"There were some nasty storms in Swansea at about midnight.

"This is all part and parcel of the fact we've had warm air moving across the UK.

"Yesterday morning, some much more moist air came over to south Wales, and there was some sunshine - all this added to the build-up of humidity, and the energy was released in thunder storms."

He said as well as rain, hailstones up to 2cm (0.8in) diameter were reported near Chepstow.

The weather is expected to be much improved in the area across the weekend, with temperatures of up to 25C (77F) likely on Sunday.