The UK is bracing itself for more weather chaos today with as much as six inches of rain forecast after high streets were flooded in a weekend deluge.
Thunder brought as many as 13,000 lightning strikes yesterday with more heavy rain set to hit parts of the country.
The predicted torrential downpours has prompted forecasters to issue an amber weather warning for potential flooding in the Midlands.
A wider weather warning for heavy rain covers almost all of England, except the far north west and the West Country.
It comes after streets in two towns were submerged in water after a severe flooding left motorists to battle to safety.
Pictures showed shops and cars left underwater in Dunstable and Hitchin in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
It comes as severe flood warnings were issued for areas near the River Lee and the River Ivel, with a Met Office rain water in place until 23.59 on Monday.
The best of any brightness today is expected in London and South East England, with highs of 21C (70F). But wet and windy weather is expected from Wednesday and it will be cooler too, with daytime highs of just 14C in London by Saturday.
The UK average rainfall for the whole of September is 3.6ins.
Scenes on Dunstable High Street showed people struggling against high water and trying to unblock drains.
Bedfordshire Police said part of the road had been closed due to the severe flooding.
Flooding has also closed part of the A421 westbound near Bedford, BBC News reported.
Severe thunderstorms have also affected other towns in Bedfordshire, including Flitwick, Cranfield and Marston Moretaine.
A clip recorded near Luton showed roof debris and even a trampoline flying in gale force winds.
Residents in Hitchin also reported severe flooding in their area.
It comes after residents evacuated in Langton, near Stoke-on-Trent following an explosion at a home caused by lightning, amid storms in the area.
A witness said a motorist had stopped and told them the home’s roof was ‘on fire’. The incident came as the city was under a yellow warning for thunderstorms.
A yellow warning for rain remained in place today for parts of north Staffordshire as well as flood alerts.
The wet weather, including heavy showers and thunderstorms will migrate to south England and parts of Wales into Monday, forecasters have said.
Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said: ‘With Sunday marking the autumnal equinox summer has now officially come to an end, and it ended with a bang for some of us.
‘We’ve seen some very heavy showers and thunderstorms spreading their way in across southern areas of England, into parts of Wales as well during the course of today.
‘Into the early hours of tomorrow morning we’ll also see our next batch of thundery rain moving its way into southern areas of England as well.’