A severe weather warning for thunderstorms this afternoon has just been issued by the Met Office.
Although some parts of the south of England could see little rain, some are likely to be hit by torrential rain, lightning – and even hail.
The Met Office warns that there could be disruption to roads and rail – although with the ongoing signalling problems in London, passengers are unlikely to notice much difference to the latter.
The warning, which runs from midday to 7pm today, says: “While some parts will see little rain, afternoon thunderstorms are likely to bring torrential rain, hail and lightning to a few places.
“Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to break out this afternoon before fading away by early evening. 20-30 mm of rain in an hour is possible in a few places, leading to surface water flooding, whilst there is a chance of one or two impacts from lightning and hail.
“Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
“There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes or hail
“There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost
“Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services
“There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life.”
