INCREDIBLE pictures show lightning bolts in the sky as the UK was hit by epic thunderstorms.
The storms moved in after a scorching day reaching 24C.
Pictures showed a lightning bolt striking down over London amid yellow weather warnings.
The storms also hit Selsey, West Sussex, as well as the Isle of Wight, and Stonehenge.
Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower was also captured lit up in a stormy sky.
It comes after warnings of blood rain set to hit Britain within days.
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The phenomenon occurs when high concentrations of red coloured dust or particles mix with rain, giving it a red appearance as it falls.
Tuesday was the warmest day of the year so far, with the mercury hitting a balmy 27.5C in Heathrow during the afternoon.
It meant the weather was better here than in holiday hotspot Santorini, where it reached only 26C.
But the heat was followed by grey skies and overnight downpours for many.
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People living between Skegness in Lincolnshire and Wareham in Dorset were warned of flash floods, power cuts and lightning strikes last night.
The Met Office says "lively" storms could roll in after lightning lit up skies across the south on Sunday night.
This week's unstable weather is driven by a plume of humid air from Africa.
The steamy blast could also bring Saharan dust with it – which may cause "blood rain" when less cheerful weather arrives later this week.
The mercury will drop and "intense" rain is predicted in the days to come.
It comes as leading bookmaker Coral cut the odds to 4-5 (from 6-4) on temperatures reaching as high as 30C during the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
The firm makes it 5-4 for this month to be a record hot May, while it is 1-2 for this summer to be the hottest ever in the UK.
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“Our betting suggests we could be set for glorious weather during the Platinum Jubilee weekend, as we make it odds-on for temperatures to reach as high as 30C,” said Coral’s John Hill.
“Looking further ahead, the odds continue to fall on this summer being the hottest ever in the UK,” added Hill.
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