Two days of heavy rain forecast across southern Britain

Warnings of heavy rain are in place across much of the south of Britain with little respite expected on Thursday and Friday.

A yellow warning, issued by the Met Office , is in place until 11.45pm on Thursday with the risk of flooding across southern England and south Wales , stretching as far north as the West Midlands.

Areas of rain, occasionally heavy, are forecast across the affected region on Thursday with patchy rain in the north east of England.

The day will be dry and bright elsewhere with humid conditions for many, although eastern areas are expected to be windy.

Rain is expected to clear in the south west for a time in the evening before returning with a threat of thunder while becoming clearer in the south east.

A further warning comes into force throughout Friday, covering a similar area in England and south east Wales. The Met Office said heavy rain may lead to travel disruption and flooding.

Following on from Thursday’s rain, this will increase the possibility of travel disruption from flooding with a slight chance of power cuts and a small chance of some communities being cut off by flooded roads and deep floodwater causing a danger to life.

Commuters and motorists are warned to expect spray and sudden flooding, leading to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.

The north of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland are expected to see fine, dry sunny weather until the weekend, although the far north west may see some patches of rain.

Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said: “There will be pulses of heavy downpours. That rain continues into Thursday night.

“That rain will be waxing and waning but one or two spots could see up to around 100mm over 48 hours.”

She continued: “On Friday we could see some high temperatures across western and central parts of Scotland, 25 or 26.”

Saturday is forecast to remain unsettled with outbreaks of rain, some of it heavy across the south into Sunday before turning showery with brighter spells.

South Western Railway said the forecast rain would see trains running at reduced speed on Thursday between Axminster and Honiton in Devon, with some services possibly altered, following a landslip at Honiton Tunnel earlier in the year.

Neither the Environment Agency in England nor Natural Resources Wales have and flood alerts or warnings in place.