Thunderstorms, heavy rain and flash floods are set to hit parts of the UK as the wet October continues.

Met Office forecasters have issued an amber warning for thunderstorms for parts of East Anglia and South East England, meaning there is a greater chance severe weather will affect and potentially disrupt travel plans this week.

Some areas have already had more than half their average monthly rainfall, the Met Office said.

It issued a yellow weather warning from noon to midnight on Monday for central and southern parts of the UK stretching from Brigg in North Lincolnshire to Weymouth in Dorset and Canterbury in the South East.

People in those areas should prepare for heavy rain and a small chance of flooding and disruption.

Between 0.6in (15mm) and 1in (25mm) of rain is expected to fall across the area, but some isolated parts could see as much as 2.4in (60mm), the Met Office said.

The Environment Agency has three flood warnings in place for England, three of which are for the River Avon in the South West, near Bristol and Bath, where flooding is expected and immediate action required.

Forty-two flood alerts have been issued across the South West, Midlands and parts of Yorkshire, meaning flooding is possible.

Sky weather forecaster Chris England said: “Southeast England and East Anglia are at risk of torrential thunderstorms coming up from France this afternoon and into the evening, bringing a risk of localised flash flooding and making driving difficult.

“More general heavy rain across much of the South East may cause problems as well, given that the ground is saturated in many areas and river levels are high.”

Travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and the potential risk to life and property are also possible in those areas.

Spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: “We have an unsettled week with quite a lot of rain. There’s a warning out for quite a lot of rain to come through today, especially for the southern and central areas, where it will be heaviest.”

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