Torrential rain and thunderstorms have lashed parts of the country – with forecasters warning that more severe weather is on the way.
An amber weather warning – meaning a potential risk to life – was in place for the south-west of England and south Wales until 6am, and forecasters have warned of difficult driving conditions and flooding.
Met Office meteorologist John West said a “lively” day was in store on Friday, despite a bright start for some.
He said: “It will be a warm and humid day, with some decent spells of sunshine. But with the temperatures rising and an awful lot of moisture in the air, we’ll see more heavy showers and thunderstorms returning by early afternoon.
“With some torrential downpours, it is likely that we will see some localised flooding.”
Forecasters predict up to 1.8 inches of rain could fall in the space of an hour in some parts, rising to 3.6 inches over three hours.
It comes after storms and heavy downpours caused problems in some parts on Thursday afternoon and overnight, with disruption expected to continue into the morning.
There will still be some heavy, thundery showers around for the Friday morning commute ⛈️ with hazardous conditions on some roads, so perhaps allow a little extra time for your journey pic.twitter.com/hjR4Q4Bf2F
— Met Office (@metoffice) May 31, 2018
Train passengers in the Midlands could find their journeys affected after lightning strikes damaged equipment between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton.
Network Rail said disruption was expected until about 9am.
#WeatherMidlands – Severe weather affecting services across the Midlands until approximately 09:00 on Friday 1 June. https://t.co/Bn5w8cuQmm
— National Rail (@nationalrailenq) May 31, 2018
South-west parts of England were worst-affected overnight, with Gloucestershire County Council reporting multiple calls to the fire service over flash flooding.
Our fire service is receiving a lot of calls about flash flooding. If your home or business has flooded, try to safely isolate the electrics. Call 999 if you’re in immediate danger.
— Gloucestershire CC (@GlosCC) May 31, 2018
Outstanding work from @Glosfire Fire Control and firefighters this evening. Numerous flooding calls being dealt with by our professional staff. @BBCGlos @itvwestcountry @GlosLiveOnline @GlosCC pic.twitter.com/6WJA7jmayn
— Stewart Edgar (@GlosFireChief) May 31, 2018
On Thursday evening, Didcot Parkway railway station in Oxfordshire flooded, leaving passengers to wade through deep waters or be helped by firefighters.
Travellers posted to social media to report raw sewage flowing from drains, while one commuter said she had been given a piggy back through a flooded underpass.
Didcot Parkway knows how to handle bad weather… pic.twitter.com/Cp0ukheHSb
— Kirstie (@kirstie646) May 31, 2018
Flights were also cancelled due to the severe weather conditions, with 48 easyJet services affected at Gatwick Airport.
Ryanair cancelled a “small number” of flights, while others were delayed.
The Environment Agency has urged people to check their flood risk and warned people not to drive through flood water.
Kate Marks, Environment Agency flood duty manager, said teams would work “24/7” to operate flood defences, clear blockages in rivers and streams and support partners at any incidents of surface water flooding.
“With heavy rain forecast during rush hour, drivers should stay up to date with the latest weather forecast and travel information before making their journey,” she said.
“We remind people not to drive through flood water as just 30cm can move your car.”