FLASH flooding has hit York's streets and flooded properties as thunderstorms brought torrential rain this afternoon.

Traffic was reduced to a crawl on several key streets, including Fulford Road, and firefighters were called in to help out after an Acomb property started flooding.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue service said crews unblocked drains at the property in Front Street, where the entrance was being flooded at just before 4pm.

Police also urged motorists to avoid Water Lane in Clifton at about 7pm due to the heavy rainfall causing problems with the road, but the road was reopen by just after 8pm.

There were also reports of a collapsed drain in Fishergate, close to the pedestrian crossing between the junction of Piccadilly and Paragon Street, with heavy traffic in the area, but while traffic was heavy for a time, no drains appeared to be damaged. 

Wheatlands Grove off Boroughbridge Road was badly flooded, with water said to be going into people's houses. "Never seen floods like that in this area," tweeted 'Princess Marigold.'

Staff at the Ainsty pub in Boroughbridge Road said the car park was flooded and water was starting to come into the cellar, and they were attempting to brush it out.

Heavy flooding has also affected Ascot Road in Wigginton, as shown in this picture by James Jarman.

York Press:

Molly McAuley, who lives in Ascot Road, urged drivers to avoid the area completely due to the floodwater, as waves caused by passing vehicles caused water to enter homes in the street.

She said the water reached about three or four inches, but had just started to recede.

Abbie Woodward took this video of traffic moving through floodwater in Holgate Road.

However, there has been nothing so far on the scale of the storms of Friday July 27, when several properties were struck by lightning, rail services were badly disrupted and huge hailstones fell as well as torrential rain.

Heavy rain in the city centre sent tourists and shoppers running for cover at about 1.30pm, just after 3pm and again after 4.30pm.

The Met Office issued a yellow warning yesterday that there was a risk of flooding of homes and businesses this afternoon, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes or hail.

It said spray and sudden flooding could also lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures, and some cancellations to train and bus services and a risk of power cuts.

Torrential rain was possible and as much as 20 to 30mm of rain could fall in an hour, or 40mm in two to three hours.

Lightning, hail and gusty winds might also result in some disruption, it said.

Luke Miall, a forecaster at the Met Office, said: "We've got some unsettled weather continuing for the next few days.

"Quite a contrast really to what much of this summer has seen across the UK."