Flooding is possible in some parts of England as thunderstorms could cause up to 60mm of rain in one hour.
A yellow thunderstorm warning was activated at 2am in the East and West Midlands, the north of England and parts of Wales, and will be in place until 5pm on Thursday.
Eight Environment Agency flood alerts were in place in the East and West Midlands on Thursday morning while hail and lightning are also possible hazards.
Heavy showers are expected to move north east across parts of England and Wales and may cause surface water flooding as the thunderstorms become slow moving.
Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesperson, said: “Some heavy and at times thundery rain is moving gradually north east today, with the potential to bring some impacts for some.
“There’s a yellow warning for thunderstorms in force until 5pm today and the warning covers much of Wales as well as northern and central parts of England.
“While not everyone will see the highest totals in the warning area, some could see 30-60mm of rain in an hour with hail and lightning additional hazards for some.
“The warning highlights potential difficult travel conditions, as well as the possibility of some flooding in some spots.”
Drivers are urged to check road conditions and change travel plans if necessary while homeowners are asked to secure moveable objects such as bins, fences and garden furniture to avoid possible injury.
Dane Broomfield, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Slow-moving heavy rain and showers continuing until late afternoon mean significant surface water flooding is possible but not expected across parts of England today.
“Environment Agency teams will be out on the ground and supporting local authorities in responding to surface water flooding.
“We urge people not to drive though flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.”
