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UK weather - live: Met Office warns of torrential rain after -6C cold snap as hundreds of flood alerts issued

The Environment Agency has 57 flood warnings and 190 alerts are in place

Lydia Patrick
Monday 26 February 2024 09:26 GMT
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UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast

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The Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings as torrential downpours are set to hit the country tomorrow.

The first warning starts from 6am tomorrow and covers parts of southwest England, whereas the second warning, covering parts of Sussex and Kent, starts at 3pm and lasts until 9am Monday.

Up to 40mm of rain is set to batter the areas leading to travel disruption and further flooding after a sudden chill last night led to lows of -6C in northern Scotland.

It comes as 57 flood warnings and 190 flood alerts are in place across England with one flood warning and six alerts in Wales as heavy downpours on Thursday caused flooding on road and railway lines.

Rainfall led to the closure of several schools in Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Thursday because of rising flood levels and “treacherous road conditions”, councils said.

Many roads across the West Midlands in particular were submerged and rail operators struggled to resolve issues on the tracks, with Transport for Wales and West Midlands Railway services operating a replacement bus service between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.

Weather warning on Monday

The warning for rain in the south east will remain in place until 9am on Monday.

Rain is expected to arrive across Sussex and Kent during Sunday afternoon, persisting through the night before slowly clearing on Monday morning.

Flooding and disruption is expected.

Monday weather warning
Monday weather warning (Met Office)
Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 15:52

What weather warnings are in place?

A yellow warning for rain covering the South West from 6am to 6pm on Sunday suggests there could be downpours of up to 40mm in few places.

The warning says: “Rain is expected to move north-eastwards across parts of south-west England on Sunday morning, persisting through much of the day before slowly dying out later in the afternoon.”

It adds that 15mm to 25mm of rain is “likely quite widely” and up to 40mm in a few places, and that “with saturated ground, this may lead to some flooding and disruption”.

Persistent rain is also on the cards for London and the South East where a yellow rain warning running from 3pm on Sunday to 9am on Monday suggests widespread downpours ranging from 15mm-25mm and up to 40mm locally.

The warning says: “Rain is expected to arrive across Sussex and Kent during Sunday afternoon, persisting through the night before slowly clearing on Monday morning.”

A car drives through floodwater in Harbridge, Hampshire
A car drives through floodwater in Harbridge, Hampshire (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 15:00

Mapped: Hundreds of flood alerts as rivers burst banks and UK braces for washout weekend

A washout weekend is expected in the UK as hundreds of flood alerts remain in place across the country.

After torrential downpours on Thursday, blustery showers are expected to pour on Sunday after sweeping across the west, say Met Office meteorologists.

There are 57 flood warnings and 190 flood alerts in place across England with one flood warning and six alerts in Wales.

Mapped: Hundreds of flood alerts as UK braces for washout weekend

Large swathes of the UK are set to flood as more heavy rainfall arrives this weekend

Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 14:30

More on the weather warning

The warning says: “Rain is expected to move north-eastwards across parts of south-west England on Sunday morning, persisting through much of the day before slowly dying out later in the afternoon.”

It adds that 15mm to 25mm of rain is “likely quite widely” and up to 40mm in a few places, and that “with saturated ground, this may lead to some flooding and disruption”.

Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 13:45

In pictures - A chilly start to Saturday

Deer in Bushy Park in London. Picture date: Saturday February 24,
Deer in Bushy Park in London. Picture date: Saturday February 24, (John Walton/PA Wire)
A person cycling in Bushy Park in London
A person cycling in Bushy Park in London (John Walton/PA Wire)
The full moon known as the 'Snow moon' sets over Whitley Bay in North Tyneside
The full moon known as the 'Snow moon' sets over Whitley Bay in North Tyneside (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 13:30

Mapped: Hundreds of flood alerts as rivers burst banks and UK braces for washout weekend

A washout weekend is expected in the UK as hundreds of flood alerts remain in place across the country.

After torrential downpours on Thursday, blustery showers are expected to pour on Sunday after sweeping across the west, say Met Office meteorologists.

There are 57 flood warnings and 190 flood alerts in place across England with one flood warning and six alerts in Wales.

Read the full story here...

Mapped: Hundreds of flood alerts as UK braces for washout weekend

Large swathes of the UK are set to flood as more heavy rainfall arrives this weekend

Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 13:00

Watch - The latest Met Office forecast

UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast
Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 12:30

Today’s forecast

Sunny spells and showers are expected across the country today.

Patchy fog and frost will give way to drive sunny spells, the Met Office predicts.

The south coast and west will be struck by showers with could move elsewhere as the day progresses.

The southwest will feel breezy and be hit by rain later in the day.

Most will enjoy a dry clear night with fog and frost returning in some areas.

Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 12:09

In pictures - Remnants of Thursday’s rainfall yesterday

Aman looks at floodwater in Harbridge, Hampshire. Schools have been closed and transport disrupted after a burst of "some quite lively and active showers" across England and Wales. Heavy rain fell on already saturated ground, flooding roads and railway lines on Thursday. Picture date: Friday February 23, 2024
Aman looks at floodwater in Harbridge, Hampshire. Schools have been closed and transport disrupted after a burst of "some quite lively and active showers" across England and Wales. Heavy rain fell on already saturated ground, flooding roads and railway lines on Thursday. Picture date: Friday February 23, 2024 (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
A car drives through floodwater in Harbridge, Hampshire
A car drives through floodwater in Harbridge, Hampshire (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
Handout photo taken with permission from the social media site X, formerly Twitter, of @Trad_Cycle_Shop of flooding at the Traditional Cycle Shop in Stratford-upon-Avon. Issue date: Friday February 23, 202
Handout photo taken with permission from the social media site X, formerly Twitter, of @Trad_Cycle_Shop of flooding at the Traditional Cycle Shop in Stratford-upon-Avon. Issue date: Friday February 23, 202 (Fran Martin/PA Wire)
Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 12:05

Mapped - Flood warnings and alerts

Flood warnings and alerts in place across England today
Flood warnings and alerts in place across England today (Environment agency)
Lydia Patrick24 February 2024 11:34

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