Nottinghamshire Police are urging drivers to be careful after the Met Office issued a warning of heavy thunderstorms and possible surface water flooding across the county.
A yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued from 2pm until 9pm this afternoon (Thursday July 26) with frequent lightning and large hail potential.
Police are advising motorists to avoid starting journeys if possible until any heavy downpours clear, to choose main roads for travel and use dipped headlights if visibility is seriously reduced.
Police urge you to make sure you’re focused on the road at all times, as spray from other vehicles can reduce visibility, and give yourself more time to react when approaching a hazard.
Regarding today’s weather warning, the Met Office said: “With hot air over the UK some scattered thunderstorms may form over parts of central and eastern England on Thursday afternoon.
“Where these do form there is the potential for some very heavy rain for a short period of time as well as frequent lightning and perhaps hail and some gusty winds.
“25-30 mm of rain is possible in less than an hour but the vast majority of sites will miss these thunderstorms and see very little if any rain.
“Some thunderstorms may persist into the evening and overnight but rainfall amounts from these should be less.”
There is also a similar warning tomorrow (Friday July 27) running from 2pm until 11.45pm.
About that warning, the Met Office said: “There is the potential for thunderstorms to develop during Friday afternoon, lasting well into the evening and perhaps developing into a larger area of rain.
“Where the thunderstorms occur torrential downpours are possible with as much as 30mm of rainfall in an hour and 60mm in three hours.
Large hail and strong, gusty winds will be additional hazards; however many places will see much lower rainfall amounts.”