A thunderstorm warning affecting Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has been extended by the Met Office to include the end of July.

Yesterday (Monday, July 29) the forecaster issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for the whole of Dorset and much of England and Wales that was set to last for the entirety of Thursday, August 1.

Now they have extended the warning so that it will include most of Wednesday, July 31 as well.

This will start at 12pm on Wednesday, lasting the full day, and will cover a smaller area of Dorset than the weather warning for Thursday.

The warning as a whole will cover much of the South East of England, London, Essex and Suffolk.

What to expect with a yellow thunderstorm warning?

In terms of what to expect with a yellow thunderstorm warning the Met Office says:

  • Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
  • There is a small chance that some communities become cut off by flooded roads
  • There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost
  • There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds

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In a statement, the forecaster added: "Whilst many places will stay dry, a few thunderstorms are likely to break out on Wednesday.

"These are possible at any time, but become more likely during the afternoon and evening.

"Where these occur, 20 to 30 mm of rain is possible within an hour, and perhaps as much as 50 mm in two hours; the latter more likely across southeast England and parts of East Anglia during the evening. Lightning will be an additional hazard."