West Midlands Weather: Rain and thunder arrive in the West Midlands as Met Office warns of 'possible disruption' to travel services - here's when the storm is expected to end

The Met Office has warned of possible outages to power and disruptions to travel services as a yellow thunderstorm warning is put into place for the West Midlands. 

It comes as many parts of Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton begin to be battered by heavy rains and rolling thunder, with some roads seeing the possibility of flooding as the bad weather continues. 

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The weather group has warned of possible delays to bus and train services due to flooded roads and felled branches and trees, warning that 'some damage' to buildings may be possible in the coming high winds or lightning strikes. 

A Met Office spokesperson said: "Scattered heavy showers, some with thunder, are expected to develop later this morning and into the afternoon, before easing this evening. 

"In the most active storms, hail, strong gusty winds, and lightning may be impactful. There is also a chance that a few spots could see frequent, heavy bursts of rain, leading to surface water flooding." 

The group added that anyone travelling in the bad weather should check road conditions ahead of time, and if you're found outside and hear thunder, take shelter in an enclosed space.

When is the rain expected to end?

The yellow weather warning has been issued until 5pm on Thursday, with the majority of the West Midlands and the Midlands being included.

The group added that on Thursday, there is a small chance that some homes and businesses 'could be flooded quickly', with the group advising to check if your area is at risk of sudden flash floods.

The group said: "Whilst the vast majority of places will have either non-impactful rain or remain dry, a few places within this area could see 30-60mm in an hour. Hail and lightning will be additional, possibly locally impactful, hazards. 

"Consider if your location is at risk of flash flooding. If so, consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit."

For more information on the weather warning, visit the Met Office website.