Overview

• The Met Office's tornado alert for southern England on May 21 has expired, with no confirmed tornadoes reported.
• The UK experienced its driest spring start in nearly 60 years, recording only 80.6mm of rainfall by mid-May, raising drought concerns.
• A mini-heatwave is expected to bring temperatures of up to 27°C to 45 counties in England and Wales by the end of May.
• The heatwave follows thunderstorms, hail, and a lightning-induced house fire in West Sussex earlier this week.
• Long-range forecasts suggest a return to variable weather in early June, with sunshine, showers, and near-average to slightly above-average temperatures.