WET weather misery is set to continue later this week with heavy rain and gusty winds forecast for Friday and Saturday.

This morning motorists were urged to take care as heavy rain hit the county with standing water making for difficult driving conditions.

Areas affected included Castle Lane, Barrack Road, the Wessex Way and Mudeford. There were reports of large volumes of water near Castlepoint and at Blackwater, Christchurch.

A number of rural road have been affected by floodwater. 

Earlier this week the Met Office issued two yellow ‘be aware’ weather warnings for Dorset Bournemouth and Poole.

The first was valid from 5pm on Monday until 9am this morning.

A second alert issued by the Met Office for heavy rain on Thursday evening was updated at 11.40am this morning and is now in place for 12.10am on Friday morning until 3pm on Saturday. 

The warning says: "A developing frontal system is expected to bring another period of persistent and at times heavy rain to parts of Wales and Southern England on Friday.

"Rain is likely to be accompanied by strong and gusty winds. As the rain clears, heavy, possibly thundery showers are likely to follow later on Friday and during Saturday. The public should be aware of the risk of localised flooding."

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "A developing frontal system is expected to push north, then east across many parts of the UK during Friday. Rain is expected to become persistent and heavy for a time giving 10-20 mm fairly widely and as much as 40 mm over south-facing hills of southwest England and Wales.

"A very unstable airmass is likely to follow this more persistent rain, with 10-15 mm in an hour possible in a few places. With this bout of heavy rain and showers coming after a few wet days, localised flooding is a possibility either from surface water or from some rivers."

There are currently no specific flood alerts in force at this stage although the Environment Agency says water levels have risen in response to recent rainfall at tributaries between Sturminster Newton and Wimborne, Dorchester and Wareham and Gillingham and Sturminster Newton.