A yellow weather warning has been issued for London and south east England.

The Met Office has warned thunderstorms are likely between 1pm and midnight today.

During Saturday afternoon bands of thunderstorms are expected to develop over central and southern England.

These will gradually move eastwards during the rest of the day, finally clearing the east of England late this evening.

These will bring heavy rain with 20 mm of rain possible in an hour in some locations and a chance of 30-40 mm in a couple of hours though most areas will see much less rainfall.

Lightning and hail are additional hazards, along with gusty winds, particularly from late afternoon into the evening in south and south eastern parts.

What to expect

  • There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus
  • Some short term loss of power and other services is likely
  • Some flooding of a few homes and businesses likely, leading to some damage to buildings or structures
  • Probably some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes
  • Delays to train services are possible