A road closure has been put in place heading out of Watford after flooding this morning.

Hertfordshire Highways has warned motorists to “avoid the area” around the A41 and A411 Watford Road, between Bushey and Elstree.

The carriageway flooded near the junction early this morning and vehicles are blocked from passing through the A41 North Western Avenue.

There are around 20 minutes of delays in the A411 Watford Road, while the A41 is shut between the junction with Elstree Road/Watford Road and the Elstree Hill South roundabout.

A yellow warning for rain is in place for Watford between 5am and 5pm today.

Update: Another stretch of the A41 is now closed, near Hemel Hempstead

Much of southern, central, and eastern England is covered by a rain or wind warning meaning that “after what has been a wet February so far, further rain is on the way on Thursday, accompanied by some gusty winds”, according to Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen.

The Environment Agency (EA) has issued 39 flood warnings – when flooding is expected – and 203 flood alerts in England.

The band of rain is expected to move east across England over the course of today, before clearing eastern England by early evening.