Severe weather warning for thunderstorms issued for the North East

Scattered thunderstorms with locally intense downpours are expected to hit the North East in the early hours of tomorrow morning - with severe storms potentially returning in the afternoon.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for between 12.05am and 8pm tomorrow.

"Although many places will miss the thunderstorms, there is a chance of some localised flooding of homes, businesses and roads," the agency says in its statement.

"Frequent lightning may be an additional hazard with potential for disruption to power networks. Large hail may be an additional hazard on Wednesday afternoon."

It comes after forecasts for a long, hot summer with an "African blast" bringing three months of baking temperatures.

That doesn't look like the case for the end of this week, however, with the Met Office outlook for Thursday to Saturday featuring unsettled weather conditions, bands of rain, cooler temperatures and becoming occasionally breezy.

But today is set to be another summer one, dry and very warm with plenty of sunshine, which will be occasionally hazy and with some light winds this morning.

Forecasters say the southeasterly wind will steadily strengthen, and it will become breezy everywhere later, but especially along the coast. Maximum temperature 26 °C.