It looks like many western areas will see heavy rain and possible embedded thundery activity during the next 24-36 hours, with the risk of more severe, albeit isolated, thunderstorms further east during Saturday afternoon.

GFS 12z precip for tomorrow afternoon:

GFS CAPE/LI for tomorrow evening:

NMM favours western areas, although realising that potential with all the cloud forecast is another issue:

The Met Office have a yellow warning out for central and eastern England, which may well alter given the continuing degree of uncertainty.

No forecast as yet from Estofex, but Torro has this:

and Weathercast has this forecast:

I've grabbed from a number of sources to highlight the uncertainty regarding thunderstorm development, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed from an IMBY point of view, and for the experts on here to shed some light on developments 

I thought we could have this thread for the reports, and the expert analysis from those who know their stuff (not me!) 

 TL:DR? Heavy rain for most, thunderstorms for a lucky few 

Malcolm
Wakefield & Gothenburg, SWE

Does anyone know what that circulation is that's been forming SW of the Channel Islands all morning? It wrapped around until it looked like a doughnut and its still there.

I think some of us may get a surprise tonight, the meto/beeb text forecast seems to cover most angles. I'm planning a BBQ tonight as it looks like be one of a few balmy evenings this summer, it'll be just my luck a storm kicks off 

Chicken thunderBolti Kebabs & Beef Thunderpounders. 

It's my birthday today (28!!) so I'm hoping for the greatest present one person can receive.. a thunderstorm. We got a thunderstorm exactly 2 years ago today - will this year also deliver?

Agreed. Can the same skills be applied to the Kansas wheatfields in 2016? 😎

And when nothing happens in the next few hours? 

You only want me for my map-reading skills Neil

Happy memories:

Big convective towers going up here and net radar is showing development to my south and southeast of here.

Just got back home from town and started to hear booms but I wasn't sure if it was thunder. Lots of short booms here in Torquay. I just brought up the radar and the lightning tracker and I can see why. I wasn't really expecting this.

Yep, sferics showing in the Midlands pretty quickly on a couple of developing cells.

Big CB's all around in a hot and very humid 29c.

Looks evil looking to my south!!

A hot and sunny day here so far with temperatures at 29.2C.

However, cloud now approaching from the south associated with the activity in the Channel that is moving NNE. So likely to lose the sun here very shortly.

Kew Gardens has registered 30.7C today so far. First time we have recorded 30C in August anywhere in the UK since 1 August 2013 when Heathrow reached 34.1C.

Some giant spots of rain coming down from some very dark looking bases but the sun is out.

Very convective sky's.