THE recent heatwave could bring its most intense conditions yet with heavy rain and thunderstorms to hit Glasgow and its surrounding areas this weekend.

Motorists are being cautioned ahead of lightning and potential flash flooding as the weather takes a turn for the worse from late on Friday night.

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Thursday will be a fine, dry, warm day for the majority, with the best of the sunshine across Lanarkshire, with the maximum temperature set to be 26C.

The Met Office said of Thursday night’s Glasgow outlook: “The best of the limited late sunshine is expected across Lanarkshire but, otherwise, it will be a cloudy night to come with patchy rain, with the minimum temperature at 14C.

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“Saturday will see an unsettled start to the weekend with overcast skies and occasional rain, which will turn heavy at times.

“From mid-afternoon, sunshine and light showers will spread from the southwest.

“Temperatures will be well down from Friday, with the maximum temperature at 22C.

Glasgow Times:

“Sunday will bring further occasionally heavy rain, but there will be some brightness later in the day.”

The weather will improve again on Monday and Tuesday when it will be mostly dry, with the best of the brightness expected in the east.”

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Elsewhere, Thursday saw the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures of 35C (95F) recorded at Heathrow.

A mix of toxic air, extreme highs, emissions from the continent and a lack of cloud cover caused a “high” air pollution alert to be issued for London.

Meanwhile authorities said the heatwave was causing “winter conditions” in parts of the NHS, while many nurses were said to be dizzy and exhausted.

Fire brigades also called for a ban on barbecues in parks and drivers were urged not to throw rubbish following a string of grassland fires in recent weeks.

And passengers on the Eurotunnel endured five-hour delays as air conditioned units failed while commuters on London’s Underground travelled in temperatures above the legal limit for transporting livestock.

Musician James Arthur cancelled an open air show in Scarborough because of lightning strikes in the area, promoters said.