The Met Office has put a yellow weather warning in place for thunderstorms for late on Friday (June 24) across the North East - ahead of what is set to 'extreme' weather in the region. 

Despite the day starting off as a mix of sunshine and clouds, weather experts have predicted that thunderstorms will hit the North East later on today. 

According to the Met Office forecast, cloud will build, with scattered showers developing later today.

Read more: Met Office weather warning: Thunderstorms across the North East

Many showers will become heavy, and slow-moving, some thundery and with a chance of hail.

While the thunderstorms are expected to hit the North East at around 4pm and 5pm this evening, it is still expected to be a mild 19 and 20 degrees across many parts of the area.

This evening, scattered heavy, locally thundery, showers die away, according to the forecast, while clouds and outbreaks of rain, perhaps locally heavy, will arrive overnight.

Here's the hour-by-hour forecast for today:

The Northern Echo:

This is what the Met Office are warning to expect from today's weather warning:

  • Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services
  • Spray and sudden flooding are likely to lead to difficult driving conditions and some temporary road closures.
  • There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could temporarily be lost.

A Met Office spokesperson said: "While many places in the warning area will remain dry, heavy showers and thunderstorms will develop today, becoming most frequent from mid-afternoon and lasting into the evening in places.

"Where these occur they are likely to produce some locally torrential rain with 20-30 mm possible in one or two hours, and will likely be accompanied by hail in a few places."

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