Forecast for Southend amid Met Office thunderstorms warning

The whole of Essex is included in the weather warning issued by the Met Office.

Essex Weather Centre had anticipated the warning this morning as it said there is a potential for severe weather this evening and overnight.

People are told to expect thunderstorms merging into longer spells of thundery rain as well as possible strong winds and frequent lightning.

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The weather warning for Southend is in place between 7pm tonight and 3am tomorrow. Here is the hour-by-hour forecast for that period according to the Met Office:

7pm - Winds of 15mph and mainly cloudy

8pm – Winds of 16mph with sunny intervals

9pm – Winds of 19mph, mainly cloudy and a 10 per cent chance of rain

10pm – Winds of 21mph, mainly cloudy and a 10 per cent chance of rain

11pm – Winds of 18mph, mainly cloudy and a 10 per cent chance of rain

12am – Winds of 14mph and a 90 per cent chance of heavy rain

1am – Winds of 13mph and a 70 per cent chance of heavy rain

2am – Winds of 11mph and a 90 per cent chance of heavy rain

3am – Winds of 9mph and a 40 per cent chance of light rain

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A Met Office statement on the weather warning said: "Developing showers and thunderstorms are likely to intensify across parts of the warning area through the evening, before easing away eastwards after midnight.

"Quite a lot of places will probably avoid the heaviest rain and thunder, but others could experience torrential downpours and frequent lightning, while large hail and strong wind gusts may also affect a few places.

Potential for severe weather this evening and overnight. Thunderstorms are expected to develop across the region, merging into longer spells of thundery rain.

Frequent lightning and strong wind gusts are possible. Likely to see a severe weather warning issued later.

— Essex Weather Centre 🌤 (@EssexWeather) May 18, 2022

"Central parts of southern England are perhaps most likely to see impacts.

"Rainfall amounts will be highly variable, as is usual in such situations, but the wettest spots perhaps seeing around 25 mm of rain inside an hour, and a possibility that somewhere could catch over 40 mm in 2 or 3 hours."