A yellow weather alert has been issued by the Met Office as much of the North East is set to be hit by thunderstorms. 

Stormy downpours will hit the north of England tomorrow (Sunday, September 1). 

The alert - which will last from 4am until 9pm on Sunday - covers the North East and Yorkshire, as well as the Midlands, the South, and parts of the North West and Wales.  

The forecaster said that the storm could damage a few buildings and structures, cause short-term loss of power, and potentially even the flooding of a few homes and businesses. 

They also said it could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures, as well as cancellations to some train and bus services.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "The extent of these thunderstorms is very uncertain, and many places will miss them, but where they do occur, 30 to 40 mm of rain may fall in less than an hour with perhaps over 75 mm in one or two places, leading to a chance of flooding and disruption.

"Frequent lightning strikes and hail will be additional hazards, most likely across southern and central England."

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In the North East, these are expected to be impacted by the yellow warning: 

  • Darlington
  • Durham
  • Gateshead
  • Hartlepool
  • Middlesbrough
  • Newcastle upon Tyne
  • North Tyneside
  • Northumberland
  • Redcar and Cleveland
  • South Tyneside
  • Stockton-on-Tees
  • Sunderland