The Met Office has extended the coverage of today’s weather warning to include a large portion of the country expecting heavy rainfall. A yellow rain warning is in effect from 9 am until 10 pm, encompassing 47 areas, now including regions in East England and the Midlands, in addition to those already listed in South East and South West England. The Met Office predicts rain moving northeastward across England and Wales, becoming persistent and heavy at times before easing later in the day.
Potential consequences of the heavy rain include possible flooding in homes and businesses, disruptions to bus and train services, and longer journey times due to spray and flooding on roads. Individuals are advised to assess the risk of flooding to their property, prepare a flood plan, and assemble an emergency flood kit. Additionally, the Met Office recommends being ready for potential power outages by gathering essential items like torches and a mobile phone power pack.
Rainfall amounts of 20mm to 30mm are anticipated across widespread areas, with some regions likely to experience this volume in just a few hours. Certain isolated areas, particularly in southern England, could see accumulations up to 50mm.
The Met Office warns that heavy rain on saturated ground may result in surface water flooding on Thursday. Later in the day, strong winds are expected to impact parts of southern and southeast England, with gusts of up to 50mph possible along exposed coasts.
The current rain alert is the sole warning issued by the Met Office for today. The forecast indicates outbreaks of occasionally heavy rain coupled with strong winds moving north and east across central, southern, and eastern England, as well as eastern Wales.
Elsewhere, sunny intervals and scattered showers are on the horizon. Rain and strong winds are projected to clear eastward from England early in the night, leaving clear skies across the UK with some showers in the western regions.
Looking ahead to Friday, the weather forecast calls for early frost and fog clearing to give way to sunshine and showers. Showers are expected to be most intense and frequent in the west and southwest, with a chance of hail and thunder. Breezy conditions are likely, especially in the southwest.
