Storm Aurore: Southern Britain is battered by three inches of rain and 45mph gales
Southern Britain is battered by two inches of rain and 77mph gales as firefighters in Essex are called to 120 homes and forecasters issue amber warning for flooding in London after Storm Aurore hits
Low-pressure system named Storm Aurore barrelled along the English Channel overnight causing chaosIt brought more than two inches (50mm) of rain and 77mph winds in the worst-affected areas of the South Essex Fire Service received more than 120 calls overnight until 2.30am regarding flood-related incidentsLandslips on rail lines between Crowborough and Uckfield in Sussex, and Dartford and Gravesend in Kent
<!–
<!–
<!–<!–
<!–
(function (src, d, tag){
var s = d.createElement(tag), prev = d.getElementsByTagName(tag)[0];
s.src = src;
prev.parentNode.insertBefore(s, prev);
}(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/1.17.0/async_bundle–.js”, document, “script”));
<!–
DM.loadCSS(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/gunther-2159/video_bundle–.css”);
<!–
Parts of Britain were hit by major flooding overnight as heavy rain and strong winds from a storm moving in from France caused chaos and a mini ‘tornado’ smashed through a housing estate.
The low-pressure system named Storm Aurore barrelled along the English Channel overnight, bringing more than two inches (50mm) of rain and 77mph winds in the worst-affected areas of the south coast and Channel Islands.
The Met Office said the storm dealt a ‘glancing blow’ to southern England, and emergency services were inundated with Essex Fire Service getting more than 120 calls up until 2.30am regarding flood-related incidents.
Flooding caused delays across the rail network this morning between Exeter, Salisbury and Tiverton in the South West, and at Belmont in South London. Heavy rain also caused a landslip between Crowborough and Uckfield in East Sussex, and another between Dartford and Gravesend in Kent, causing further misery on the trains.
Much of the South was under by an ‘amber’ warning for rain into the early hours of this morning, although the the most severe impact of the storm was in northern France – where 105mph was recorded at Fécamp in Normandy
The Met Office said the unsettled weather was likely to continue for the rest of the week in the UK, with showers and breezy conditions across western Scotland and central and northern England and Wales on Friday.
Flooding on the road at Bermondsey in South East London this morning after heavy rain across the capital overnight
Storm Aurore has brought major flooding to Southend-on-Sea in Essex this morning with parts of the A127 main road closed
Two people walk along Southend seafront in Essex this morning following heavy rain and flooding overnight
Police were called to the M26 in Kent overnight after a number of vehicles became stranded in deep floodwater
Surrey Police’s roads unit tweeted this picture overnight and said: ‘One driver had flooded their cars engine n the puddle on the A331 in lane 2. The van driver has then aquaplaned in the very same puddle & collided with the car. Sorry to keep repeating our self but drive to the conditions, slow down & increase your stopping distance. #heavyrain’
Flooding causes chaos in the Axminster area of Devon overnight after heavy rain fell across parts of southern England
Vehicles are seen passing through a flooded road in South East London this morning after heavy rain overnight
A police vehicle at the scene this morning after a car and a motorcycle crashed on the M23 near Pease Pottage in West Sussex
Cars in floodwater at Rayleigh Weir near Southend-on-Sea in Essex this morning after Storm Aurore hit overnight
Police and Highways England traffic offices were called to the M26 in Kent just after 11pm after flooding hit the area
Forecasters predict there to be more persistent rain over the weekend, with the heaviest rain expected in western Scotland, where up to 2.4in (60mm) could fall in 24 hours, while Northern Ireland, northern England and Wales could get 0.8in (20mm).
It comes after a mini ‘tornado’ smashed through a housing estate in Widnes, Cheshire yesterday. Footage revealed the damage the windstorm caused as residents tried to clean-up the debris.
And in Scotland there was snowfall in Braemar, a village near Aberdeen which is the third-coldest low-lying settlement in the UK.
One unofficial reading from Wandsworth in southwest London suggested three inches of rain had fallen in one 24-hour period yesterday.
Meanwhile, Police and Highways England were called to the M26 in Kent just after 11pm last night after a number of vehicles became stranded in deep flood water. Police cleared the drains and helped to tow those who had been stranded.
A Met Office spokesman said: ‘The French meteorological service is part of a different storm naming group than the Met Office, which means that the next storm named by either Met Eireann, KNMI or the Met Office, and will be named when more significant impacts are expected in one of those countries.’
Met Office chief operational meteorologist Dan Suri yesterday: ‘The worst weather associated with Aurore will be on its southern flank, over northern France. The northern edge of Aurore will catch southern England, dealing us a glancing blow.
Police and Highways England were called to the M26 in Kent just after 11pm after the flooding last night
A car drives through a large puddle during heavy rain in Greenwich, South East London, overnight
Members of the public shelter under umbrellas as they walk during heavy rain in Greenwich, South East London, last night
A woman shelters under a coat as she runs during heavy rain in Greenwich, South East London, last night
One unofficial reading from Wandsworth in London suggested three inches of rain had fallen in one 24-hour period yesterday
Cars were stranded after floods on the M26 in Kent just after 11pm last night
A car and a motorcycle crashed on the M23 southbound near Pease Pottage in West Sussex last night at 9.10pm
‘What this means for us is some heavy rain this evening and overnight. The Channel Islands, however, being closer to France, will be more directly in the firing line and experience high winds this evening and overnight.
‘Of course, high winds will also affect the English Channel so marine interests are encouraged to keep abreast of the shipping forecast.’
On the A331 in Surrey one driver flooded their car’s engine on the A331. A van driver then aquaplaned and collided with the car, with a dramatic photograph of the scene showing how the force of the crash tipped it onto one side.
A spokesman for Surrey Police said: ‘Sorry to keep repeating ourselves but drive to the conditions, slow down and increase your stopping distance.’
A car and a motorcycle crashed on the M23 southbound near Pease Pottage last night at 9.10pm. The male rider was taken to hospital with serious injuries
In a video posted on Twitter, uprooted trees, fallen fences and collapsed brick walls were seen beneath the grey skies following a ‘tornado’ in Widnes. Cheshire Constabulary said there were no reported injuries.
The town of Widnes was ‘devastated’ by a mini tornado on Wednesday afternoon, as residents clean up the debris
The weather phenomenon caused tress to become uprooted and fences to collapse in a cul-de-sac in Widnes yesterday
Like much of the country, the northwest town has been subject to gale-force winds and torrential rain
Tornado reports in the UK tend to be mainly in summer and autumn and are usually relatively narrow and short-lived affairs
A spokesman said: ‘At 12.25pm on Wednesday October 20 police received reports of a mini tornado in the Widnes area. The damage includes a wall falling down, windows of cars smashed and debris on Camberwell Road.
‘A number of road closures are in place including Camberwell Road at the junction of Moorfield. Damage has also occurred to the garage of a property on Kensington Close.’
A Met Office spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘The weather set-up in the area means that a tornado was possible around midday today in Widnes, although without clear footage of the event it’s difficult to confirm whether the damaging winds were from a tornado or not.’
BBC weather forecaster Simon King tweeted a similar video footage of the aftermath of the suspected windstorm saying: ‘Looking at the damage, it’s likely there was a tornado in Widnes this afternoon.’
According to the Met Office tornadoes are not uncommon in the UK and there are on average, around 35 per year, though numbers can vary markedly from year-to-year.
Reports of tornadoes in the UK are mainly in summer and autumn and are usually relatively narrow and short-lived affairs, typically lasting for only a few minutes and with tracks no more than a few kilometres long and a diameter of less than 100-200 metres.
