England experienced a sharp change in weather after months of drought and repeated heatwaves; thunderstorms flooded homes in parts of England and triggered 40 flood alerts.
The sudden turn highlighted the kind of weather whiplash a warming climate can produce, with very dry conditions giving way to intense rainfall.
Here's what to know
On Aug. 27, the Environment Agency issued 40 flood alerts across the Midlands, Yorkshire, and southeast England. The Met Office also warned, according to The Guardian, that some places in England and Wales could get up to 3 inches (75 millimeters) of rain within 12 hours.
Those alerts came after flooding damaged homes in Birmingham, where the West Midlands fire service sent seven fire engines following calls about 32 properties near the Tame Valley canal.
Birmingham resident Ryan Goodwin said the flooding worsened within minutes, describing "a river coming round the corner, all the way down the road."
In Nottinghamshire, the Environment Agency also issued a flood alert for the River Maun near Edwinstowe and Ollerton. It said levels at Mansfield the Dykes gauging station were rising, putting Old Rufford Road at risk.
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Yellow thunderstorm warnings remained in force until 10 p.m. on Aug. 27 across wide areas of England and Wales, with a second warning in place from 5 p.m. on Aug. 27 to 7 a.m. on Aug. 28 for Lincolnshire, parts of the east of England, parts of Yorkshire, Kent, and Medway.
More background
The damage from the storms came late in a season that had put most of England and all of Wales into official drought.
Even with the rain, the Environment Agency said 71.3% of England remained in drought and that only 34% of the rainfall usually expected in August had fallen by Aug. 27.
Scientists have long said climate change is making U.K. weather more erratic, with stronger swings between heat, dry spells, and flooding. The U.K. recorded five heatwaves over the summer.
Flooded homes can knock out power, contaminate indoor spaces, damage roads and transit links, and leave families facing costly repairs, insurance claims, and missed work.
Heavy rain after long dry periods can be more dangerous because hardened ground absorbs less water, increasing runoff into streets and buildings.
What can be done?
Officials are relying on early-warning systems and emergency response efforts to limit the damage.
Environment Agency alerts are meant to give communities time to prepare, and Met Office thunderstorm warnings can help residents and local officials focus on the highest-risk periods. Fire crews operated in flooded neighborhoods, and national officials were meeting through the National Drought Group as both drought and flood risks continued.
Signing up for flood alerts, moving valuables off ground floors, checking drainage around homes, and documenting belongings for insurance can all help when storms move in quickly.
Goodwin told the Press Association that floodwater got beneath his laminate flooring and knocked out the electrics, per The Guardian, showing how quickly damage can spread beyond what at first appears to be standing water.
Communities will need stronger drainage, better flood-resilient infrastructure, and planning that accounts for more erratic rainfall patterns. Staffordshire, for example, saw 2.4 inches (60 millimeters) of rain in 12 hours, a level that can overwhelm most drains and waterways.
Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy summed up the situation: "A few days or even weeks of wetter weather cannot reverse the impacts of several months of exceptionally dry conditions. Today's yellow thunderstorm warnings show it's possible to experience simultaneous drought and flood as heavy rain falls on compacted soils."
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