The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms that will affect much of southern Essex.

A warning is in place for that area of the county, which encompasses places such as Southend, Basildon, Tilbury, Canvey Island, Billericay, Chipping Ongar, and all the way up to Harlow.

It will be in place from 6 am on Friday, August 18 to 12 pm later on in the day.

What do the different Met Office weather warnings mean?

The forecaster states: "Thunderstorms may cause some localised disruption on Friday morning."

What to expect with Met Office yellow thunderstorm warning

In terms of what to expect with a yellow thunderstorm warning, the Met Office states there may be:

  • There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water, leading to longer journey times by car and bus
  • There is a chance of flooding of a few homes and businesses, leading to some damage to buildings or structures
  • A chance of some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes, as well as short term loss of power
  • Delays to train services are possible

Speaking on the thunderstorm warning, a Met Office spokesperson said: "A line of thunderstorms are expected to develop during Friday morning and move gradually northeast before weakening into the afternoon.

"Whilst most places will only see a short period of heavy rain, a few places may see 30-40 mm of rain in less than 2 hours.

"In addition to heavy rain, some thunderstorms may produce frequent lightning."