UK Thunderstorm warning: How they form and what happens during one

The thunderstorm warning is in place for Northern and South East Scotland, North and South West England as well as parts of Wales and Northern Ireland.

The weather service has told the public to prepare for some disruption including difficult driving conditions, possible flooded roads as well as a slight chance of power cuts.

As Brits look for tips to stay safe and guidance on driving, here's everything you need to know about how a thunderstorm comes about.

Here's what you should and should not during a thunderstorm at home ( Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)

How do thunderstorms form?

The Met Office has explained that thunderstorms form when our atmosphere is unstable.

They occur when warm and moist air rises into much colder air.

"The warm air becomes cooler, which causes moisture, called water vapor, to form small water droplets — a process called condensation," the Center for Science Education continued.

It added: "The cooled air drops lower in the atmosphere, warms, and rises again".

What causes lightning?

When the warm air rises, it cools and condenses to form water droplets.

Depending on whether there is enough instability in the air, the rapid updraft of warm air leads to the water vapour quickly forming a cumulonimbus cloud.

A process that can take place in under an hour.

The Met Office further explains that: "As the warm air continues to rise, the water droplets combine to create larger droplets which freeze to form ice crystals.

"As a result of circulating air in the clouds, water freezes on the surface of the droplet or crystal.

"Eventually, the droplets become too heavy to be supported by the updraughts of air and they fall as hail".

Here's what happens during a thunderstorm and what causes lightning. ( Getty Images) (Image: NQ archive)

When the hails moves within the cloud, it picks up a negative charge from rubbing against smaller positively charged ice crystals.

This negative charge forms at the base of the cloud which is where the hail collects.

Meanwhile, the lighter ice crystals remain near the top of the cloud and they create a positive charge.

The Met Office adds: "The negative charge is attracted to the Earth's surface and other clouds and objects.

"When the attraction becomes too strong, the positive and negative charges come together, or discharge, to balance the difference in a flash of lightning (sometimes known as a lightning strike or lightning bolt).

"The rapid expansion and heating of air caused by lightning produces the accompanying loud clap of thunder".