The Met Office is warning of potential disruption as the North East braces itself for thunderstorms.
The body has announced a yellow 'be aware' warning for storms, covering almost the entirety of the East of England.
The warning covers all of Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham, and runs up to around Ashington in Northumberland.
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The warning is in place from 2pm to 8pm today, Friday, September 10.
The Met Office says: "Most areas escaping the worst, but a few heavy showers and thunderstorms may lead to localised travel disruption and flooding today."
People are warned to prepare for:
- Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
- Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services
- There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater or lightning strikes
It comes as the Tour of Britain speeds through the North East, with spectators turning out along the route to watch world-class riders race.
As things stand, the race, which started in Carlisle at 11am, is going ahead as planned despite the worrying weather forecast.
