The Met Office has issued a new weather warning after thunderstorms hit parts of the UK overnight.
As the storms continue, forecasters are warning of potential disruption and flooding in some areas of the Midlands, the East of England and Wales – as well as parts of neighbouring regions.
There has been some travel disruption, with the Met Office warning of heavy rain and “frequent” lightning strikes.
Some roads remain closed in the South West of England due to damage after the storms overnight into Thursday.
The current weather warning is in effect from 12pm to 11:59pm BST.
The Bureau of Meteorology said possible flooding could cause “difficult driving conditions and some road closures”.
A storm is expected to develop Thursday afternoon and evening, moving slowly from east to west or northwest. People living in areas at risk of flooding are advised to plan ahead.
However, the worst of the weather will be widespread, with some locations within the warning area likely to remain completely dry, while others could expect major flooding. there is.
The latest warnings were issued after spectacular thunderstorms hit across southern England and Wales on Wednesday night, with many people woken up by dramatic lightning strikes in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Thousands of lightning strikes occurred across the region, with people marveling at them on social media.
Emma Richardson, from Woking, Surrey, said: “It was an amazing experience.”
“There was a loud roar and even a crash at the grand finale.”
“It was like an explosion.”
A lightning strike damaged the railway power supply in Westbury, Wiltshire. Routes
and
have now reopened, and JNR says services in the area are operating as normal.
Many roads in Devon have been affected by the bad weather.
- The A383 is closed near the Dartmoor Halfway Inn due to a fallen tree
- Flooding is reported on A375 at Sidford
Earlier, another tree fell on the A396, blocking half of the carriageway towards Tiverton. It has since been moved and the road is open as normal.
In Watford, a lightning strike caused a house fire at about 05:30 BST.
And in Sussex, two properties were damaged by lightning overnight.
A care home in Elmer was affected, and a building at Chichester University sustained damage to the roof and power supply, according to West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.
Michael Tidy, who witnessed the storm in Elmer, said he heard a “very loud bang, like an explosion” and saw emergency vehicles arriving at his house.
No one was injured and residents have been relocated.
Mr Tidy described it as a “hellstorm”.
Despite the thunderstorm warning, meteorologists expect the wet weather and storms to weaken as the day progresses.
Sunshine will be coming later in other parts of the country, leading to what could be the warmest day of the year in some areas. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 22°C in East Anglia.
Northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland are expected to remain largely dry into the 20s, while the east coast of England will remain very cool with temperatures between 13°C and 14°C. Sho.