Thunderstorm warning for London as half a month's rain to fall across South

London is set for heavy downpours and thunderstorms today as more than half a month's worth of rain is set to fall across the South of England in just six hours.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms, including for the capital, running from 6am until midday.

Forecasters warn that driving conditions will be affected by spray and pools of water, leading to delays on the road, while train services may also be delayed.

They say there is a chance some homes and businesses could be flooded, while lightning strikes could lead to a short-term loss of power.

Some parts of the UK could see 30mm to 40mm of rain in just six hours, the Met Office said. In a typical August, 63mm of rain falls across the South East of England over the entire month.

Met Office meteorologist Rachel Ayers said showers will begin to fall in the south-west of England and south Wales before growing in intensity as they move eastwards. Heavy showers could hit areas unaffected by the weather warnings but they are not likely to put people in any danger.

She said: “Given it is summer holidays, people are more likely to be wanting to be outside and travelling for holidays. “There is a chance we could see driving conditions affected, leading to longer journey times. “Take the advice from our partners such as the RAC with regards to driving in heavy rain if you do make that journey.” She said conditions should brighten up across most of the UK on Saturday – with sunshine and showers likely amid “blustery” conditions.

However, it's a different story for the capital towards Saturday evening, with the Met Office issuing another thunderstorm warning running from 8pm until 5am on Sunday.

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