SCATTERED heavy and locally thundery downpours look likely to disrupt much of the rest of the day.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning of rain, which is valid from 2pm to 10pm today and it means people should be aware severe weather is possible.

The downpours are likely to develop across parts of southern England, the south Midlands and southeast Wales this afternoon, only slowly easing this evening.

There is a risk of surface water flooding which would create difficult driving conditions.

The Met Office's chief forecaster said: "A deeply unstable airmass is likely to affect southwest Britain later today associated with a slack area of low pressure over the English Channel.

"Some locally intense downpours are likely to develop giving 15 mm in less than an hour, and some 30 mm in 3 hours or less.

"It looks as if the greater risk is across Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire.

"However, as often happens in these situations, rainfall amounts could vary markedly, with some areas missing the worst."