A yellow weather warning has been issued for large parts of Wales and the English border counties, with thunderstorms expected to bring heavy downpours, flooding and travel disruption later today.
The Met Office warning is in force from 12pm until 9pm on Friday, covering all of Powys as well as neighbouring English counties including Shropshire and Herefordshire .
Forecasters say heavy showers and thunderstorms will develop during the afternoon and evening, with some areas at risk of seeing large amounts of rain fall in a short space of time.
The Met Office warned there is a chance of flooding to homes and businesses, difficult driving conditions and delays to public transport services.
RECOMMENDED READING
-
Met Office issues warning for festivalgoers as forecast for bank holiday revealed
-
Storm batters A470 in Powys: Driver says 'I've never driven in conditions like that'
-
Met Office speaks out on cause of 'mini tornado' spotted in wake of Powys hill fire
In its warning, the forecaster said: “While many areas will miss the heaviest downpours, heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop during Friday afternoon and evening.”
It added that Wales is expected to be among the first areas affected, with the focus of storms across much of the country during the early afternoon before moving eastwards into England later in the day.
Some places could see between 10mm and 20mm of rain in a short period, while areas hit by repeated downpours may receive 30mm to 40mm.
Lightning strikes and hail are also expected in some locations.
The Met Office said motorists face a “good chance” of difficult driving conditions because of spray, standing water and hail.
Longer journey times by road are possible, while train services could also be affected.
There is also a risk of short-lived power cuts and damage to a small number of buildings from lightning strikes.
Traffic Wales North and Mid issued its own warning to drivers on Friday morning, urging people to plan journeys carefully.
Drivers have been urged to check road conditions before travelling, make sure tyres, lights and windscreen wipers are in good condition, and avoid driving through floodwater.
⚠️Adverse Weather⚠️@metoffice have issued a 🟡 #WeatherWarning for thunderstorms likely to affect parts of the north and mid region⛈️
📅28/08/26 |⌚12:00 - 21:00
Take care and plan ahead🚘➡️https://t.co/5ZKWCDS4FY pic.twitter.com/Bst05peUDm— Traffic Wales North & Mid (@TrafficWalesN) August 28, 2026
Traffic Wales warned that braking distances can increase significantly on wet roads and advised motorists to reduce speed and leave more space between vehicles during heavy rain.
The Met Office is also advising people to think about whether their property could be at risk from flash flooding and to stay up to date with the latest forecasts as conditions may change quickly throughout the day.
The warning covers much of Wales, including Powys, Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and Monmouthshire, as well as border counties Herefordshire and Shropshire.
Share