A dry start in the region today (August 18) will be followed by heavy showers later in the afternoon.

With highs of around 21C, most of North Essex, Ipswich and Suffolk will see dry weather, with the sun breaking through the cloud occasionally, until around 4pm.

Heavy showers are predicted between 4pm and 6pm – but the drenching will not last long, with a dry and sunny evening expected.

There is also a chance of thunderstorms between 4pm and 6pm. Any storm is likely to be mild and will not last long before the sun burns back through the cloud.

For those looking ahead to the weekend, you can expect dry weather in most of Suffolk, with temperatures around 20C. The sun will break through the cloud on occasion. In North Essex, there is a slight chance of rain around lunchtime on Sunday.