Lightning struck in the capital late yesterday evening following several days of hot weather.
Many Londoners took to Twitter to share incredible photographs of the storm over the city's skyline.
Canary Wharf and the surrounding buildings in the city looked particularly dramatic as the storm raged.
It follows a week which saw the hottest July day on record and similar storms featuring golf ball-sized hail which caused an estimated £1.5 million in damage to cars across the country.
he Met Office has issued a yellow "be aware" severe weather warning for England and southern Scotland, which runs to noon today, and warned of possible "localised surface water flooding" caused by torrential rain.
The mercury could rise to 29C (84F) in East Anglia later while temperatures are set to be above average elsewhere.
Today it should remain dry and bright in London, with temperatures expected to reach around 27C, but further downpours are forecast for Sunday.
John Griffiths, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, said: "Thundery showers covered from the north of England down to London and there have been quite a few lightning strikes in London and the south coast, as well as in Wales.
