A THUNDERSTORM could bring “lightning, hail and heavy rain” to Dorset later today, the Met Office has warned.

The yellow alert, which includes Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, will be in force between 12pm and 10pm today.

The Met Office says there is potential for between 10 and 20mm of rain within an hour.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Heavy showers will develop through the morning with isolated thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening.

"These will bring the potential for lightning, hail and heavy rain, with a few places seeing 10-20 mm of rain within an hour and a small chance of 40 mm in 2-3 hours.

“Showers are likely to weaken over parts of Wales and the southwest of England during Thursday evening but will persist longer in parts of central England and the Midlands.”

In terms of what to expect, the Met Office says:

  • Driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus
  • Delays to train services
  • Some short term loss of power and other services
  • Some flooding of a few homes and businesses, leading to some damage to buildings or structures
  • Some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes

Currently, the Met Office forecast for the rest of today suggests heavy rain at 1pm with thunderstorms at 2pm.