August Bank Holiday weekend brings thunder and floods warnings as festivalgoers may face gales after five-heatwave summer

Thunder and flood alerts have been issued for the bank holiday weekend amid warnings festivalgoers could be hit by gusts of up to 35mph.Heavy downpours are set to sweep the UK in the final days of a five-heatwave summer with the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland expected to be particularly hard-hit.Annie Shuttleworth, Met Office meteorologist, said: 'For most areas of the UK, there is at least a chance of a heavy downpour through Friday.'Some of these bring the continued risk of thunderstorms.'Saturday also looks wet as forecasters predict only the very far north-east of Scotland will entirely dodge the rainfall.Festivalgoers heading to Reading and Leeds, Creamfields and other live music events have been warned of unseasonably strong winds.Gusts of up to 35mph are possible on the south coast on Saturday amid an ongoing risk of thunderstorms in parts of England and Wales.The worst of the wet weather will hit the North West, Northern Ireland and north-west Scotland on Sunday. Reading Festival fans are seen arriving in the rain. Festivalgoers heading to Reading and Leeds, Creamfields and other live music events have also been warned of unseasonably strong winds An estimated 100,000 people are expected to flock to the open-air concert - which runs from Thursday, August 27 to Sunday, August 30 A yellow weather warning was issued for the UK on August 28'There is a chance we could see some quite windy weather through the bank holiday Monday, predominantly for more northern areas,' Ms Shuttleworth said.'But I think it will likely be a relatively breezy day for the UK as a whole so that may affect plans if you are outside this weekend at a festival or in a tent. That is something to keep in mind.'There is also the possibility of coastal gales in parts of Scotland on Monday, the forecaster added.Meanwhile, more than 20 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, were in place for England on Friday morning with more heavy rain on the way.The change in conditions follows an exceptionally dry, hot summer in which five heatwaves hit the UK.Most of England and the whole of Wales remain in drought and experts say drought conditions will continue to worsen until there is sustained rainfall across the country.Thousands of Reading Festival revellers were spotted braving the rain while setting up camp at the event ahead of a rainy Bank Holiday weekend.An estimated 100,000 people are expected to flock to the open-air concert – which runs from Thursday, August 27 to Sunday, August 30 – to see headliners including Charli XCX, Florence + The Machine and Chase & Status. A twister-like funnel cloud was spotted in Redbourn, Hertfordshire Members of the public brave the rain in Birmingham as parts of the UK are hit by heavy rainBut it appears Britain's long summer spell of hot and dry weather has ended just as the music festival, held at Little John's Farm, is set to begin – and its attendees have come prepared.On Friday, downpours with some sunny spells are set to begin in Reading from 12pm, with drizzlier conditions carrying through until the early hours of Saturday morning -during performances including Charli XCX, Fontaines D.C and Skepta.By Saturday, that drizzle will turn to heavier rains beginning at around 7am. This will continue until approximately 9pm, when acts like Raye, Dave and Sombr will take the stage.On Sunday – the festival's final day – conditions will improve slightly; however, light rain is expected to run from 9am straight through until Monday, coinciding with performances like Florence + The Machine and Chase & Status.Yet the impending downpours did not seem to dampen the spirits of festival goers, who were pictured smiling and laughing with friends while clad in waterproof clothing to set up camp.Others were also pictured trudging suitcases up muddy and damp paths to their campsite, using bin liners and other water-repellent materials to protect their belongings.At Leeds Festival – held concurrently with Reading – weather conditions painted a similar – if not worse – story.Showers are expected all throughout the day on Friday and will continue into Saturday, when light rain will begin at 12pm and last into Sunday morning. Some people in Reading got creative to ensure their belongings stayed dry under waterproof materials Attendees had to drag their belongings up muddy and wet ground as the drizzly conditions settled in Boards are erected around a property to protect it ahead of the Notting Hill Carnival, also taking place this Bank Holiday weekendBy Sunday – when acts like Dave, Raye and Sombr hit the stage – heavier rain will pour, with showers peaking at 3pm and continuing until around 1am on Monday morning.And on social media, attendees of Reading and Leeds Festivals were quick to express their dismay at the dismal weather conditions following one of Britain's hottest summers on record.Taking to X, one user attending Reading reflected: 'First big festival I have been to in years and it looks like storms, torrential rain, mud and misery all weekend.'The universe truly does hate me.'Another lamented: 'Reading Festival tents and stages are up, just in time for the p***ing rain.'It comes as residents and businesses have boarded up their properties as they brace for a weekend of carnage during the Notting Hill Carnival.Some 7,000 Metropolitan Police officers and staff will be on duty to manage two million revellers who are set to descend on the streets of west London from Saturday, while the festival is also expected to be hit by rain.Meanwhile on Thursday the beginnings of a tornado were spotted above the British countryside in Berkshire and Gloucestershire.While the Met Office said it had received no reports of tornadoes, it said conditions were 'ideal for them to form'.One storm chaser warned that a tornado is likely to form on UK soil in the near future.They wrote on social media: 'Two funnels, but I think at one point this looks like a broad circulation trying to spin up, if it succeeded this would have been a large multi-vortex tornado.'Unfortunately, a weekend washout is on the cards for parts of the country after torrential rain in the West Midlands the previous night.Homes and businesses in Birmingham were deluged by water up to 3ft deep and roads became rivers overnight.The Environment Agency issued 42 flood alerts for the Midlands and South East and there was a flood warning for the River Maun in Nottinghamshire.Some areas saw 50 to 75mm (2-3in) of rain and lightning and hail but temperatures still hit up to 28C (82F).No September heatwave has been forecast, with the current outlook suggesting a mixture of sunshine and showers and temperatures close to or slightly below average.