Five flood warnings were in place across the capital, while a yellow thunderstorm warning was issued across the city and the south-east.

Paddington - one of London’s busiest stations - was exit-only on the Bakerloo line, according to the TfL website.

Exits one and two were also shut at Charing Cross. Meanwhile “heavy flooding” means Dagenham Heathway Underground station was closed, and northbound trains are not stopping at Tooting Bec. 

Barking and Dagenham Borough Council said on Thursday morning there was a “severe flooding across the borough” and urged people to drive carefully.

Meanwhile, a lorry driver tragically died after his vehicle overturned in treacherous conditions in east London shortly after 6am.

The fatal crash happened on the A13 eastbound near Wennington in the borough of Havering, sparking a huge emergency response. As of 9.30am, the road remains closed between Ferry Lane Interchange and Wennington Interchange.

It came after the Met Office said there is a “good chance” of driving conditions being affected by rain, while delays to train services also likely.

The weather service said some parts of the south-east could see 50mm of rain fall across six hours.

“Some flooding of a few homes and businesses [is] likely,” it says, “leading to some damage to buildings or structures”.

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has placed flood warnings for five waterways in London.

The warnings are for: the area around Bevery Brook in Merton, Sutton, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames and Wandsworth; the River Hogsmill area from Ewell to Kingston-upon-Thames; the Ravensbourne area in the boroughs of Lewisham, Bromley, Greenwich and Croydon; the River Wandle area in Wandsworth, Merton, Lambeth, Croydon and Sutton; and Shuttle and Cray.

A flood warning is also in place just outside the capital in Surrey, near the River Rythe from Oxshott to Thames Ditton.

The Met Office says: “Outbreaks of heavy, thundery rain are likely to develop and move across east and southeast England from the early hours of Thursday.

“Ten to 20mm of rain is likely over quite a large area but with some embedded thunderstorms some sites are likely to see 30 to 40 mm in two to three hours and perhaps 5mm or more oversix hours,” it said.

“Lightning will be an additional hazard. The area of rain is expected to ease from the southwest before clearing into the North Sea during Thursday afternoon.”

It is hoped the wet weather will clear up in time for the bank holiday weekend, which the Met Office predicts will be “largely dry and sunny” for the south-east. By Lydia Chantler-Hicks, Evening Standard