UK weather live: Met Office warning as over a month’s rain to fall in two days on southern Britain
The Met Office say the weather will remain unsettled this weekend
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More than half a month’s rain has fallen across two days in southern England and Wales up to Friday night.
A Met Office yellow weather warning was in place for the second day running as wet weather continued due to large patches of rain crossing the channel from France, but had subsided by Saturday morning.
There were warnings for flooding, power cuts and travel disruption with outbreaks of heavy rain “persistent” in some areas and “particularly heavy” in others.
For the weekend, for many, it will be a bright and dry start on Saturday morning with small bands of rain moving westward across the country.
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “Repeated areas of rain are likely to affect southern Britain over the next few days, generating some localised impacts into the weekend.
“It’s a different story further north though, as high pressure brings warmer and sunnier conditions, with higher-than-average temperatures, particularly across parts of western Scotland. Eastern areas are likely to be cooler and at times, cloudier due to winds blowing off the North Sea.”
Repeated areas of rain to hit southern UK over next few days, says Met Office
In comments made on Friday, Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “Repeated areas of rain are likely to affect southern Britain over the next few days, generating some localised impacts into the weekend.
“We currently have a yellow weather warning for rain in place, and there’s potential for further warnings this weekend.
“It’s a different story further north though, as high pressure brings warmer and sunnier conditions, with higher-than-average temperatures, particularly across parts of western Scotland. Eastern areas are likely to be cooler and at times, cloudier due to winds blowing off the North Sea.”
Outlook for weekend is ‘unsettled’
Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesman, said: “The outlook for tomorrow and into the weekend remains unsettled with further potentially very heavy rain to come.”
Weather warning extended to 2am
A yellow weather warning for rain in parts of south west England and Wales has been extended to 2am.
Thundery rain may lead to some travel disruption and flooding in places, the Met Office has warned.
Mapped: UK-wide rain outlook for Saturday
Here’s what the rain is expected to look like throughout Saturday.
10am
3pm
8pm
‘North-south divide’
The Met Office told of a North-South divide in the weather, with the South experiencing “pulses of heavy rain” over the next few days and drier, warmer conditions in the North.
This is expected to be the story for the entire weekend over the UK
The east of the UK should see cool and cloudier weather while the West experiences warmth and sun, with the north west of Scotland potentially seeing temperatures of 27C.
A weather warning has been in place throughout Friday and will remain in place until 2am on Saturday, covering parts of south west England and south Wales.
Mixed weekend of weather ahead
It will be a “mixed outlook” for the UK this weekend, the Met Office says.
The southern UK will continue to experience pulses of heavy rain over the next few days.
But sunny skies will prevail further north as temperatures rise “well above average”, reaching up to the mid twenties in western Scotland on Saturday.
Eastern areas will be cooler and cloudier due to winds blowing off the North Sea.
Next week, “fresher, cooler temperatures” will sweep across the UK. The north can expect a “notably cool” period by mid-week.
Rain may lead to travel disruption and flooding
The Met Office said heavy rain may lead to travel disruption and flooding.
Following on from Thursday’s rain, this will increase the possibility of travel disruption from flooding with a slight chance of power cuts and a small chance of some communities being cut off by flooded roads and deep floodwater causing a danger to life.
Commuters and motorists are warned to expect spray and sudden flooding, leading to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.
Three flood alerts remain after three removed
Three flood alerts have been removed by the Environment Agency.
These were for: River Axe area; Rivers Otter and Sid, and Exmouth area; Scrase Bridge and West Common Streams.
This means three remain:
- Rivers Clyst and Culm and their tributaries
- Tidal Thames riverside from Putney Bridge to Teddington Weir
- Lower Avon and tributaries
A flood alert means flooding is possible but not certain - it is the least severe flood notice issued by the Environment Agency, after flood warning and severe flood warning.
Met Office update yellow weather warning
The yellow weather warning has been extended until 2am on Saturday.
It now covers South Wales and west England, including Somerset and northern Devon.
It no longer covers London or the central/east England.
Flooding, power cuts and travel disruption are all possible. There may be lightning strikes in northern areas of the warning.
Here is the updated weather warning area:
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