The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain as thunderstorms are expected across East Anglia today.

While the thunderstorms will miss many places, they may bring intense downpours in the areas where they do develop, according to the Met Office.

The storms will bring the threat of sudden flooding of roads, transport routes, homes and businesses, with lightning and hail additional hazards.

This morning James Wilby, forecaster at Weatherquest, said: “At the moment we have already got a few thunderstorms in Cambridgeshire and parts of West Suffolk.

“Then this afternoon we could see a few more thunder showers.

“The risk will increase this evening – the main threat is between 5pm and 10pm.

“There could be pretty heavy downfalls with thunder and lightning where 15 to 20mm or more will more fall in a relatively short period of time.

“By this time tomorrow morning (Friday) some locations will have seen 15 to 20mm of rain whereas some will have seen none at all.

“This evening and the first part of the night the thunderstorms will be more intense and we could see localised flooding.

“But tomorrow looks like a brighter day with cloud developing in the afternoon.”

The MET Office yellow warning is in place for the east of England from 6am today to 2am tomorrow morning.

A spokesman said: “Two waves of thunderstorms are expected to affect the UK on Thursday.

“The first wave is expected to develop over southern England early on Thursday and push northwards across parts of the Midlands and East Anglia, clearing later in the morning or during the afternoon.

“The second wave is expected to develop further north, most likely over parts of northern England and the Midlands during the afternoon before moving eastwards and clearing during the evening or early hours of Friday.”