August 27, 2026 - 266 views
North Wales is facing a prolonged spell of heavy rain and thunderstorms, with the Met Office warning now remaining in force until 7am on Friday.
The warning covers a broad area of Wales and England, with forecasters warning of intense downpours, lightning, hail and localised flooding.
The Met Office says heavy rain and thunderstorms will continue moving north across Wales today, with particularly intense downpours possible. There is a risk of localised flooding, while hail is also possible in the heaviest storms.
For North Wales, the forecast suggests conditions will remain unsettled through Thursday evening and overnight.
In Llandudno and along the North Wales coast, heavy rain is expected today, with temperatures around 20C. The Met Office forecast indicates further showers overnight and into Friday morning.
Further west, Caernarfon and parts of Gwynedd are also seeing the effects of the unsettled weather, with heavy showers and thunderstorms possible as the weather system moves northwards.
The situation is also significant for people travelling between North Wales and the North West of England.
The Met Office says heavy, thundery rain will push northwards across the North West later today and into the evening, with frequent lightning and large hail possible. Temperatures in the region could reach around 22C.
That means motorists travelling on routes such as the A55 and major roads connecting North Wales with Chester and the North West could encounter rapidly changing conditions, particularly where heavy rain leads to surface water and reduced visibility.
The extension of the warning does not mean continuous thunderstorms will affect North Wales throughout the night.
The Met Office expects some areas to become temporarily drier, but showers can return during the early hours. By Friday, showers will continue, with further outbreaks developing during the day before moving eastwards. There should also be some brighter and sunnier spells.
Temperatures will remain relatively warm, with a maximum of around 23C in Wales on Friday.
However, the improvement is unlikely to last for long. Anyone hoping for a completely dry August Bank Holiday weekend should keep expectations in check.
The Met Office currently describes the outlook from Saturday to Monday as unsettled, with showers and the possibility of further thunderstorms.
It should remain warm initially, but conditions are expected to become fresher by Monday as winds turn more westerly.
For North Wales, that means there could still be opportunities for outdoor activities over the weekend, but plans should allow for showers and potentially some heavy bursts of rain.
The Met Office's mountain forecast for Eryri also highlights the need for caution in exposed areas, where weather conditions can change quickly.
The arrival of substantial rainfall comes after an exceptionally dry period for many parts of the UK.
While the rain may be welcome following the prolonged dry spell, thunderstorms present a different set of risks because large amounts of water can fall in a relatively short period.
For North Wales, the key issue is therefore not simply how much rain falls, but where the heaviest downpours develop.
The Met Office is advising people to keep up to date with the latest warnings and to take care around flooded roads and areas prone to surface-water flooding.
