A tornado warning has been issued for Hampshire and other parts of the south.

The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) says there could be tornados, "misocyclones" and maybe even a "low-topped supercell or two".

It follows a Met Office yellow weather warning for rain.

TORRO said: "A cold front will cross the area overnight and on Thursday, with one or more waves developing along it, in response to an upper short-wave trough.

"Several areas of precipitation should accompany this, with some embedded convection possible.

"This may organise into one or more lines, and perhaps some cellular activity too. The lines may include misocyclones, and a low-topped supercell or two is possible in any discrete convection."

TORRO said showery rain could bring squally gusts "and the small chance of one or two brief tornadoes".

It added: "The highest chance of gusts and isolated tornadoes appears to be over parts of Central Southern England, the SE Midlands, E Anglia, and SE England later on Thursday morning and into Thursday afternoon."

A tornado is a violent rotating column of air that reaches to the ground from a storm cloud.

The spinning winds can achieve extremely high speeds, creating a major risk to lives and property.

When the humidity is high enough, the tornado funnel is made visible by the circulation of condensed water vapor.