Flood alerts have been issued for 10 London boroughs as rain finally hits the drought-stricken capital, with thunderstorms also on the way.
Alerts have been issued for three areas.
One covers the River Wandle area in Wandsworth, Merton, Lambeth, Croydon and Sutton, according to the Environment Agency (EA).
Lewisham, Bromley, Greenwich and Croydon around the Ravensbourne River are also impacted.
A third alert covers the Beverley Brook area including Richmond-upon-Thames and Kingston-upon-Thames.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms, bringing the potential for locally intense rainfall, are forecast to affect the London area over the next 48-hour period.
“While uncertainty remains around exact timings and which areas will experience the heaviest rain there is a possibility that rivers could respond quickly and overtop their banks,” the EA warned.
Flooding to low lying land, roads and riverside gardens is possible, it said.
“We recommend you monitor local weather conditions and avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water.”
The alerts come after warnings from London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Temperatures in London are due to fall below 20C on Tuesday evening. With the ground bone dry after weeks of hot weather, it’s feared that natural drainage will be impossible and areas will quickly become flooded.
Mr Khan said: “We learned a lot from last year in July when there was flash flooding caused by a huge amount of rain – two months’ worth of rain – in just a couple of hours and people’s homes businesses and public transport was flooded.
“Speaking to the Met Office, the Environment Agency and many others, we are concerned that over the next few days we could see a huge amount of rain in a short period of time which could lead to flash flooding.”
Despite the threat of flooding, Londoners rejoiced at the sight of rain - for some the first time in weeks, and following an eight-day heatwave.
The rain is forecast to stick around for much of Wednesday in London.
The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for England and Wales, and said flash flooding and disruption to trains and buses is possible.
