The Met Office has issued a weather warning, saying: “Heavy showers and thunderstorms could bring some disruption, especially to transport.”
The official forecaster said: “There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus.
“Delays to train services are possible (and) perhaps damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes. Some short-term loss of power is possible.”
The Met Office added: “Heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop quite quickly later on Friday morning but peaking during the afternoon for many before probably becoming more restricted to the south east and south coastal counties towards evening.
“Some places will miss the heavier rain but other locations could see around 20mm within an hour and perhaps 30mm to 40mm in around three hours, sufficient to cause issues on the roads.”
Another forecaster, AccuWeather, said that the likelihood of a thunderstorm in Brighton and Hove this evening was about 40 per cent.
And there was more than a 50 per cent chance of rain, it said, with the rainfall expected to last no more than about an hour.
In recent weeks Brighton and Hove has been battered first by Storm Ellen and then Storm Francis but wind speeds are predicted to be calmer in the days ahead.
The forecasters all predict a fairly chilly but mostly dry bank holiday weekend, with top temperatures of about 62F (17C) feeling slightly cooler in the light breeze.
Windguru suggested that, after a damp and cloudy start tomorrow morning (Saturday 30 August), the clouds should gradually lift, leaving conditions bright but cool on Sunday and Monday.
The news is likely to be welcomed by the 2,500 football fans heading for the Amex stadium, in Falmer, tomorrow.
Brighton and Hove Albion are due to play Chelsea in a friendly, with the gates open for the first time since Saturday 29 February – before the coronavirus lockdown was imposed.
Meteo Group, which provides the data for BBC weather forecasts, suggested an outside chance of a few light showers on Sunday and Monday.
The outlook is similar, with showers most likely on Tuesday and Thursday as temperatures remain relatively subdued as children prepare to return to school on Friday (4 September).
