Millions of Brits were woken up last night by a huge thunderstorm. 

People across the south of England experienced torrential rain, thunder and lightning, with one Londoner describing it as 'one of the biggest and longest storms I can remember in my almost 35 years in this city.'

Now, scientists have warned that these intense storms could become the norm – thanks to climate change. 

As it stands, the UK doesn't experience the same frequency or intensity of thunderstorms as some parts of the world. 

According to the Met Office, the UK currently sees around 200,000 to 300,000 lightning strikes each year. 

However, as temperatures continue to rise, that could change.     

'As our climate changes, the UK is expected to experience warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers,' the Met Office explained. 

'However, with these changes comes an increased likelihood of more intense and frequent extreme weather events, including thunderstorms.'

Thunderstorms form when warm, moist air rises rapidly into cooler air above, creating instability in the atmosphere. 

This leads to the formation of cumulonimbus clouds – dense clouds capable of producing heavy rain, hail, and lightning. 

'Lightning is a massive electrical discharge caused by the separation of positive and negative charges within a storm cloud,' the Met Office explained.

'As the storm develops, ice particles and hailstones collide, transferring electrons and creating a charge imbalance. 

'When the difference becomes too great, the energy is released in a flash of lightning, either within the cloud, between clouds, or from cloud to ground. 

'The rapid heating of air around the lightning channel (up to 30,000°C, a whopping five times hotter than the surface of the sun!) causes it to expand explosively. 

'This expansion creates the shockwave we hear as thunder.'

As our climate changes in the UK, the Met Office predicts that the number of thunderstorms could increase. 

One of the key contributing factors is the potential for more 'Spanish plume' events. 

As the name suggests, these occur when hot air from the Iberian Peninsula moves northwards into the UK. 

This creates unstable conditions that can lead to intense summer thunderstorms, with heavy rain and lightning.      

'While the UK's weather will remain variable, climate change is likely to increase the intensity of some weather types,' the Met Office added. 

'This means that while we may not see more thunderstorms overall, the ones we do experience could be more impactful.'

As they do become more intense, the Met Office says it's crucial for Brits to know how to stay safe in thunderstorms.

Before a storm arrives, it's best to unplug non–essential electronics to protect them from power surges, and to secure outdoor items like garden furniture and bins that could be blown around by strong winds. 

When the storm does arrive, try to stay indoors, and to avoid using plumbing, landline phones, or touching metal objects.

If you are caught outside, crouch low with your feet together, and your hands over your ears – but don't lie flat on the ground. 

Finally, after the storm has passed, check your property for damage, and report any downed power lines to authorities.  

The Met Office added: 'While we can’t prevent storms, we can reduce their impact by staying informed and taking sensible precautions.'