Large swathes of the UK are in for a wet week, with parts of the country already experiencing more than half their average monthly rainfall this October.

The Met Office has today issued a yellow weather warning covering whcih covers the whole of Essex as well as central and southern parts of the UK stretching from North Lincolnshire to Weymouth in Dorset and Canterbury in the South East.

People in those areas have been warned of heavy rain and a small chance of flooding and disruption.

Today's forecast in Essex is for a large amount of cloud with with "periods of rain, sometimes heavy with possible thunder later". 

There could be drier spells and the maximum temperature will be a mild 17°C.

Tonight will see the rain clearing but fog descending and temperatures will drop to about 9°C.

Tomorrow will bring sunny spells with a few showers, possibily heavy.

The evenig is expected to be dry, but breezy with a maximum temperature of 16°C.

For Wednesday to Friday, Met Offiice forecasters say the breeze will continue while Wednesday will experience rain in the morning, though it will clear as the day progresses. 

Thursday will bring a chilly start while Friday is expected to see very heavy rain.