Storm Betty: Thunderstorm and torrential rain hits Sussex amid weather warning

Following a yellow weather warning – which was put in place between 8pm on Friday and 5pm this morning (Saturday) – a storm arrived across the UK and brought heavy rain and strong winds through the evening.

“Weather warnings are in force throughout the night and into Saturday, so stay #WeatherAware,” a Met Office spokesperson said on X (formerly Twitter).

"Thunderstorms are possible, mainly in the southeast.”

Wet and windy weather has been swept northwards, with yellow warnings now not covering the South East.

The Met Office said: “Storm Betty will gradually move away to the north on Saturday. Saturday will start with some wet and windy weather across parts of the north and west [but] further south and east it will be drier, brighter and not quite as blustery.”

The yellow weather warning for thunderstorms had covered almost the entirety of Sussex until the early hours, with some areas of southern and eastern England expected to see up just over two inches of rain in two to three hours.

The Met Office warned that there was a ‘small chance’ of fast-flowing or deep floodwater that could cause a ‘danger to life’.

A spokesperson added: “Whilst many places will see relatively small amounts of rain, some heavy and possibly torrential thunderstorms are likely to develop during Friday evening across parts of South East England.

“Overnight, they are expected to move north before easing during the early hours of Saturday morning.

“Whilst rainfall amounts are expected to vary significantly, there is the potential for a few places to see up to 20-40mm in one hour and 40-60mm in two to three hours.

“In addition to heavy rain, hail up to two centimetres in diameter and frequent lightning are additional hazards accompanying more active thunderstorms. These are slightly more likely across the east of the area, including East Anglia, Kent and East Sussex.”

Storm Betty has since been pushing northwards through the early hours with ‘continued heavy rain and strong winds’. Warnings are in force until 12pm today.