The Met Office has issued an amber warning as thunderstorms and flooding are set to hit parts of southern and eastern England tonight.
The warning, which covers the east and south east of England, including London, says thunderstorms are likely from Friday evening into the early hours of Saturday. Essex, Norfolk, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk, Thurrock, East Sussex, Kent and Medway are all in the area under the new warning.
The Met Office said some places within the warning area could see 30-50mm of rain and winds in excess of 40-50mph, along with frequent lightning.
The forecaster warns that power cuts and the flooding of homes and businesses are likely. Some communities may become cut off if roads flood and public transport may be disrupted where flooding or lightning strikes occur.
Spray and sudden flooding may lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures and fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life, the forecaster said.
The latest update comes as two yellow warnings for thunderstorms have already been put in place across the south west and south east of England, as well as Wales and the West Midlands across Friday. The warning will stretch into Scotland, the East Midlands and the north of England on Saturday, lasting until 6pm for many.
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