UK weather: Britain is set for flood chaos with three weeks of rain set to fall today
River bursts banks turning fields into LAKES and submerging train lines as three weeks of rain falls in a day in Britain putting 129 areas at risk of flooding
- Parts of Britain are suffering flooding today as up to four inches of rain and 60mph winds hit the country
- Met Office issues amber ‘be prepared’ rain warning for South Wales amid fears travel could be disrupted
- Experts say ‘fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life’ and communities could be cut off
- Cloudy outlook with bright spells is expected for many other areas with temperatures set to be mild tomorrow
A major river burst its banks today as parts of Britain were hit by major flooding with up to four inches of rain and 60mph winds hitting the country along with lightning and hail.
The River Towy bursts its banks in Carmarthenshire as Wales bore the brunt of the severe weather, while flood barriers were installed at Bewdley in Worcestershire amid concerns at the high levels of the River Severn.
Flooding was also seen on the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border at Welney today, as the Environment Agency issued 68 flood alerts and ten warnings for England, and Natural Resources Wales had 42 alerts and nine warnings out.
The Met Office issued an amber ‘be prepared’ rain warning for South Wales running throughout today, where homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and delays or cancellations to train and bus services are also likely.
Flooded fields in Carmarthenshire today after the River Towy bursts its banks following torrential rain in parts of Wales
A lorry drives through a flooded road on the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border at Welney this morning
Strong waves crash against the Dorset coast at West Bay today as the Met Office issues rain warnings in the South West
Flooded fields in Carmarthenshire this afternoon as the River Towy bursts its banks and the Met Office issued a rain warning
Flood barriers go up at Bewdley in Worcester this morning as the water level of the River Severn rises
Flooded fields on the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border at Welney today as motorists struggled to get through deep water
The flood defences at Bewdley this morning are precautionary because the level of the River Severn is already high
Motorists had difficulties driving along the flooded lanes in Welney this morning after the River Delph burst its banks
A stormy and dramatic sunrise off the coast of Sunderland this morning before the bad weather moves in
Forecasters also warned that ‘fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life’ in the region and said there was a ‘good chance’ communities could be cut off due to water on the roads.
Power cuts to homes and businesses are also likely, with rain developing this morning and lasting for much of the day with 1.6in (40mm) to 2.4in (60mm) expected quite widely over high ground in the warning area.
The Met Office said a few places are even likely to see 3.2in (80mm) to 3.9in (100mm) with much of this falling in around nine to 12 hours before clearing eastwards, which is ‘likely’ to cause flooding and disruption to transport.
There is a wider yellow ‘be aware’ warning for rain in the South West across Devon, Cornwall and much of the rest of Wales, which warns of a band of heavy rain moving east this morning before clearing overnight.
Many areas are expected to see 0.8in (20mm) to 1.2in (30mm), with Dartmoor likely to have 2.4in (60mm) to 3.2in (80mm). This follows plenty of rain in the area already this week, increasing the chances of flooding.
The heavy rain in the wider warning area will be accompanied by strong winds and a risk of thunderstorms, with gusts of 50mph to 60mph likely around coasts and over higher ground.
This is compared to average rainfall of 5.66in (144mm) for the whole of December in South West England and South Wales, meaning the amber area can expect nearly three weeks’ worth of rain in one day today.
CrossCounty said severe weather in the Dawlish area of Devon meant its trains were disrupted, with some northbound services starting from Exeter instead of Plymouth, and buses between Plymouth and Tiverton.
Buses also replaced Great Western Railway trains between Newquay and St Austell due to flooding on the railway.
Elsewhere today, there will be some rain concentrated in Aberdeen, but a cloudy outlook with bright spells is expected for the rest of the UK with temperatures set to be mild across the country.
These will range from around 9C (48F) in northern parts of Scotland to 13C (55) in Plymouth, Devon – before an overcast evening with thick cloud and outbreaks of rain across northern and western areas which will be heavy.
Overnight, rain will move east and will reach eastern areas of England by dawn. Downpours will turn showery across Scotland and will clear to clear spells in the west.
Met Office rain warnings for today (left) and Environment Agency flood alerts (right, in amber) and warnings (in red) today
Tomorrow will be mostly dry for many with lengthy spells of winter sunshine, but there will be patchy cloud cover across northern and western areas bringing some scattered showers which may be locally heavy.
Showers will also develop across southern counties of England. The wettest weather should stay in western areas, with mild temperatures in the low teens Celsius also predicted to last throughout the weekend.
Sunday will be mostly dry and bright with lengthy spells of sunshine but there will be scattered showers, while Monday will be dull and damp with cloudy skies and outbreaks of rain spreading eastwards.