Warning: Yellow

To expect: Rain

Affected areas: South West England

Start time estimate: Sunday 1pm

End time estimate: Monday 4am

The Met Office has announced a Yellow rain warning for South West England for Sunday and Monday.

Heavy downpours is set to hit the region, beginning at around 1pm on Sunday and dying out by 4am on Monday.

The Yellow alert for rain was announced at 11:55am on Friday, July 18.

A Met Office forecast said: “An area of heavy rain with isolated thunderstorms could develop and affect this area of the southwest during Sunday clearing to the east early Monday. 30 to 50 mm of rain may fall in a few hours and there is a small chance that a few spots could see 75 mm or more.”

What to expect

There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings; Where flooding occurs, there is a slight chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services; There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life; There is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses; There is a small chance that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads; Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.

What should you do during intense rain?

Check if your property could be at risk of flooding. If so, consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit.

Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary.

People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do: consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.

Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.

For further details see Met Office Warnings & Advice.

What is a yellow weather warning?

The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area.

A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.

An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk.

A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling.

The Yellow weather alert for rain will remain in place until 4am on Monday.