HEAVY rain is set to lash Dorset this weekend, the Met Office has warned.

The yellow alert, which includes Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and the rest of the county, will be in force from 3pm on Saturday, February 17.

It will last until 8pm on Sunday, February 18.

A Met Office spokesperson said: “An area of persistent and occasionally heavy rain is expected to move from west to east across the warning area during Saturday and Sunday, falling on already saturated ground.

"Rain will clear western areas early Sunday, whilst rate of clearance from east and southeast England is open to some uncertainty, but all areas should become dry by evening.”

In terms of what to expect, the Met Office said bus and train services will probably be affected with journey times taking loner.

Flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely.

Also, some interruption to power supplies and other services is likely.

The Met Office is reporting light rain at 5pm and 6pm and again between 8pm and 10pm.

Heavy rain is the expected between midnight and 9am.

Meanwhile, the BBC says there is between a 40 and 60 per cent chance of light rain during the day for most of Saturday with heavier rain between midnight and 6am.