A TORNADO warning has been issued for Essex today by a storm research organisation. 

The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation has released a tornado warning for Essex from 8am to 7pm today (Thursday, September 26).

The areas affected include central south Essex, south east Essex, east Anglia and the south east Midlands.

Hazards accompanying the isolated brief tornadoes include hail, winds of up to 50mph and cloud-to-ground lightning.

A spokesman for the organisation said: "A shortwave trough will move north east through today.

"Showers and isolated thunderstorms are already present around parts of south west and south England, and these will tend to move north east through this morning, with other showers and a few thunderstorms developing inland via diurnal heating.

"Deep layer shear is favourable for small clusters or lines of storms to form, and whilst low-level shear is reasonably modest, some backing of the flow ahead of the trough could assist in the development of low-level rotation, and perhaps a brief tornado or two.

"The most likely area of this to occur is across southern counties in the depicted area, but as models are keen to develop rather widespread showers through the day, the risk is drawn in a broader sense."