Potent showers to end the week

Sunny spells and scattered showers will develop through the course of Friday 20th September, turning increasingly heavy later in the afternoon.

Showers across large parts of central and southern England, in addition to Wales, could become thundery in nature, as seen on the WeatherRadar above.

The risk of thunderstorms most likely however across the south-west of England and South Wales through the afternoon, before easing for a time through the evening.

Showers bring the risk of frequent lightning strikes, hail and gusty winds, with high rainfall rates and accumulations reaching around 20 mm within a short period of time, possibly very locally up to 40 mm in heaviest bursts.

A risk of road surface spray and standing water is therefore possible in time for Friday evening's commute home in areas affected.

After these showers ease however, later in the night there is a renewed risk of thundery showers pushing up from the Channel into southern England.

The risk then extends into Saturday, chiefly for southern areas at first, but reaching more central areas later in the day with the continued chance of torrential downpours, lightning, gusty winds and hail.