Thunderstorm warning kicks in for parts of England and Wales

Some places could see more rain on Saturday than than in the whole of May

A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office for large parts of England and Wales.

The warning, which covers the majority of southern England, parts of the Midlands and most of south Wales, came into effect from 09:00 BST on Saturday and lasts until 18:00.

Around 10-15mm of rain could fall in less than an hour while some places could see 30-40mm of rain over several hours from successive showers and storms, the Met Office says.

The UK's weather agency also warned that frequent lightning, hail and strong, gusty winds would be additional hazards.

After a record-breaking spring, the weather has been distinctly unsettled since the start of June with wetter, windier and cooler temperatures than are typical for the start of meteorological summer.

On average, England experienced just 32.8mm of rain last month in what was its driest spring in more than 100 years.

Now, it appears, there could be more rainfall on Saturday than there was in the whole of May in some places.

It can be hard to predict where thunderstorms will turn up because they are small-scale weather features.

Not everywhere will get a torrential downpour or a thunderstorm - most parts will see a shower but some may stay dry and avoid the rain completely.

The weather agency has warned that in places that do experience heavy showers there is the potential for disruption to transport, with driving conditions affected by spray and standing water, leading to longer journey times. Train services could also be delayed.

It also said that some short-term loss of power and other services was likely, and potential lightning strikes could cause damage to buildings.

While the storms are expected to occur for much of the day, they will ease off in the west from mid-afternoon.

Thunderstorms are also possible outside the warning area, with parts of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and parts of south-east Scotland likely to experience a few this afternoon.

A yellow weather warning is the lowest level of warning issued by the Met Office. Warnings are issued on the probability of severe weather occurring as well as the impact it could have.

There will be showers in other parts of the UK on Saturday, but not as heavy as in the south.

Sunday will be a much brighter day with fewer showers but the odd thunderstorm is still possible, especially in eastern England.