Met Office issues 12-hour power cut warning as 6 areas face heavy rain - full list

The Met Office has issued a new weather warning for thunderstorms, set to come into force in just hours. Spanning nearly 12 hours, the weather warning comes into force at noon and will run until 11.59pm tonight.

Covering the whole of Northern Ireland, the Met Office says heavy showers and thunderstorms could cause travel disruption and flash flooding in some areas. Some areas could see 25-30mm of rainfall in a couple of hours, while 15 to 20mm of rain is likely in an hour or less, the Met Office said. Hail and lightning are also likely in places, according to the warning.

A Met Office spokesperson said: "A band of heavy showers is expected to spread across Northern Ireland from west to east late morning and early afternoon, with further slow-moving heavy showers or thunderstorms developing later."

The forecaster added there is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, which will lead to longer journey times by car and bus. Some flooding of a few homes and businesses are likely, potentially leading to some damage to buildings or structures.

Lightning strikes could also cause damage to buildings, and delays to train services are possible. Some short-term loss of power and other services is also a possibility, the Met Office warning said.

Regions and local authorities affected

• County Antrim
• County Armagh
• County Down
• County Fermanagh
• County Londonderry
• County Tyrone