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Britain is prepared for flood chaos with three weeks of rain falling today and more downpours tomorrow, but temperatures will remain mild with highs of 13 ° C
- Parts of Britain could be flooded today as up to four inches of rain and 60 mph winds hit the country.
- Met Office issues amber rain warning ‘be prepared’ for South Wales amid fears of travel disruption
- Experts say ‘water is likely to flow rapidly or deep flood, causing danger to life’ and communities could be cut off
- A cloudy outlook with bright spells is expected for many other areas with moderate temperatures today
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Parts of Britain could see flooding today as up to four inches of rain and 60 mph winds hit the country along with lightning and hail.
The Met Office issued an amber rain warning ‘brace yourselves’ for South Wales throughout Friday where homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and there are also likely to be delays or cancellations in train services and buses.
Meteorologists also warned that “fast-flowing waters or deep flooding are likely to be life-threatening” in the region and said there was a “good chance” that communities would be cut off due to water on the roads.
Weather Bureau Rain Advisories for Today (Left) and Environment Agency Flood Alerts (Right, Amber) and Warnings (Red) Today
Power outages are also likely to occur in homes and businesses, with rain this morning lasting much of the day and between 1.6 inches (40mm) and 2.4 inches (60mm) expected on high ground in the warning area.
The Met Office said 3.2 inches (80mm) to 3.9 inches (100mm) are likely to be seen in some locations with much of this falling between nine and 12 hours before clearing to the east, which is ‘likely’ to cause flooding and transportation disruptions.
There is a broader yellow ‘be alert’ warning for rain in the South West across Devon, Cornwall and much of the rest of Wales, warning of a band of heavy rain moving east this morning before clearing overnight.
Many areas are expected to see 0.8 inches (20mm) to 1.2 inches (30mm), and Dartmoor is likely 2.4 inches (60mm) to 3.2 inches (80mm). This follows heavy rain in the area this week, increasing the chances of flooding.
Heavy rain in the wider warning area will be accompanied by strong winds and the risk of thunderstorms, with gusts of 50 mph to 60 mph likely around the shores and on higher ground.
This compares to the average rainfall of 144mm throughout December in South West England and South Wales, which means that the Amber area can expect almost three weeks of rain today.
The Environment Agency has issued 42 flood alerts and one warning for England, while Natural Resources Wales has 30 alerts and warnings, but there are none from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.
Elsewhere today there will be some concentrated rain in Aberdeen, but a cloudy outlook with bright spells is expected for the rest of the UK with temperatures that will be mild across the country.
These will range from around 9C (48F) in northern parts of Scotland to 13C (55) in Plymouth, Devon, before a cloudy night with thick clouds and outbreaks of rain in the northern and western areas that will be intense.
Overnight, the rain will move eastward and reach eastern England by dawn. The downpours will turn to showers in Scotland and clear to clear spells in the west.
Tomorrow will be mostly dry for many with long periods of winter sunshine, but there will be uneven cloud cover in the northern and western areas, bringing some scattered showers that can be locally heavy.
The showers will also take place in the southern counties of England. The more humid weather should remain in the western areas, with mild temperatures in the low Celsius also forecast to last throughout the weekend.
Sunday will be mostly dry and bright with long periods of sunshine, but there will be scattered showers, while Monday will be dull and humid with cloudy skies and outbreaks of rain spreading east.
