Essex forecast as heavy rain and thunder hits county

Rain - Heavy downpours, and even thunder, are expected to batter Essex today <i>(Image: Sarah Lucy Brown)</i>
Rain - Heavy downpours, and even thunder, are expected to batter Essex today (Image: Sarah Lucy Brown)
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Heavy rain is battering parts of Essex this morning ahead of a what is expected to be a very wet day across the county.

The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning covering much of the UK, including Essex, with forecasters predicting torrential rain, lightning, and the risk of hail throughout Tuesday, August 27.

Forecasters said there is a chance some areas could see 20 to 30mm of rain in just one hour and up to 50mm over 12 hours.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "There is a small chance that some places may see more than 50mm in three hours and more than 75mm through 12 hours."

Thunder has already been reported in parts of Eastwood and Westcliff.

Yesterday, roads in Westcliff flooded after drains overflowed.

The Met Office warning follows Essex’s driest July on record, with some areas receiving as little as 1mm of rainfall.

As the county braces for what could be the heaviest rainfall since the start of summer, here is today’s hour-by-hour forecast:

  • 8am: 20C, cloudy, 90% chance of heavy rain
  • 9am: 20C, cloudy, >95% chance of heavy rain
  • 10am: 20C, cloudy, >95% chance of heavy rain
  • 11am: 20C, partly cloudy, 80% chance of heavy rain
  • 12pm: 21C, partly cloudy, 60% chance of light rain
  • 1pm: 22C, partly cloudy, 30% chance of light rain
  • 2pm: 23C, partly cloudy, 20% chance of light rain
  • 3pm: 24C, partly cloudy, 10% chance of light rain
  • 4pm: 24C, partly cloudy, 20% chance of light rain
  • 5pm: 24C, cloudy, 20% chance of light rain
  • 6pm: 23C, cloudy, 40% chance of light rain
  • 7pm: 22C, cloudy, 60% chance of light rain
  • 8pm: 21C, cloudy, 70% chance of light rain
  • 9pm: 19C, cloudy, 70% chance of light rain
  • 10pm: 19C, cloudy, 60% chance of light rain
  • 11pm: 18C, cloudy, 50% chance of light rain

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