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.”
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West Sussex is currently smothered in a blanket of rain, according to Met Office weather charts. It should clear up by 5pm.
Potential for further weather warnings, Met Office says
After two consecutive days of yellow weather warnings in southern England, the Met Office says there may be more to come.
“Repeated areas of rain” are likely in southern Britain, with potentially causing localised impacts over the weekend.
“We are keeping warnings under review, and will look to issue them over the weekend as confidence increases,” the Met said.
We’ll bring you the latest weather warning updates on this live blog.
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.
Warm Friday afternoon ahead for many
As rain batters the south, the picture for the rest of the UK is far more promising.
By 3pm, temperatures could reach up to 27C in parts of the Midlands and East Anglia, and 25C in Manchester and the north west.
Western Scotland is set for a very warm Friday, with temperatures of 25C in Fort William and 23C in Glasgow and Ullapool.
North east England and eastern Scotland will remain around 18/19C.
In wetter, southern areas, temperatures will range from around 17C to 20C.
There is a clear “north/south divide” in Friday’s weather, the Met Office says.
In pictures: UK outlook for Friday
Southern England and Wales is set for a wet start to the weekend while while the majority of the UK remains dry.
Here’s the picture for today’s rain:
12pm
5pm
10pm
Six flood alerts issued by Environment Agency
Six flood alerts have been put in place for areas in the south and south west of England.
River levels are expected to rise as the many parts of southern England experience a second consecutive day of heavy rain.
Alerts have been issued for:
- Lower Avon and tributaries
- River Axe area
- Rivers Clyst and Culm and their tributaries
- Rivers Otter and Sid, and Exmouth area
- Scrase Bridge and West Common Streams
- Tidal Thames riverside from Putney Bridge to Teddington Weir
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.
Residents in affected areas should have a food plan, medications and insurance documents ready.
Updated: Areas affected by Friday’s yellow weather warning
The Met Office have updated the area covered by Friday’s yellow weather warning, which will remain in place until 23:59.
Parts of Cornwall and Devon are no longer within the area, with a large area of South Wales now facing possible torrential rain.
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:
‘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.
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 further warning comes into force throughout Friday, covering a similar area in England and south-east Wales.
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.
Heavy rain batters southern parts of UK
Heavy rain has battered parts of the UK as forecasters warned of little respite from the deluge on Thursday and Friday.
A yellow warning, issued by the Met Office, is in place until midnight Friday – covering much of the south of Britain – with the risk of flooding across southern England and south Wales, stretching as far north as the West Midlands.
It is likely the Met Office will be issuing further warnings across the weekend, the forecasting body said.
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