Yellow warning as thunderstorms could cause travel disruption and flooding

A new yellow warning has been issued by the Met Office for heavy showers and thunderstorms which could cause travel disruption and flooding.Much of England and Wales is covered by the warning, which will be in force from midday until 9pm on Friday, and means flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely, trains could be delayed and car journeys could take longer, the forecaster said.Twelve areas are covered by Environment Agency flood alerts, meaning floods are possible.The Met Office says the warning means flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely, leading to some damage to buildings or structures; there could possibly be some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes; a short-term loss of power and other services is possible; trains could be delayed; and there is a chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water or hail.There has been continued hot weather across the UK, which coincided with extremely dry conditions.