Met Office issues yellow weather warning as heavy rain set to hit several areas

Published Dec 7, 2025

Warning: Yellow

To expect: Rain

Affected areas: North East England, North West England, Yorkshire and Humber

Start time estimate: Tuesday midnight

End time estimate: Tuesday 3pm

The Met Office has issued a Yellow rain warning for several regions across the UK for Tuesday.

The warning is covering parts of North East England, North West England, Yorkshire and Humber. All local areas affected are listed below.

Persistent rain is predicted to batter the regions, arriving across the areas on Tuesday at around midnight and continuing until 3pm.

The Yellow alert for rain was announced at 11:25am on Sunday, December 7.

A Met Office forecast said: “Outbreaks of rain will become persistent and heavy on Tuesday morning, before clearing into the afternoon. Accumulations of 20-40 mm are likely over some hills, with up to 80 mm possible over high ground in Cumbria. Given the saturated nature of the ground, this is likely to lead to some flooding in places and transport disruption. Rain will also be accompanied by strengthening south to southwesterly winds, with gusts in excess of 60 mph possible over high ground, which may exacerbate impacts, especially on routes across the Pennines.”

What to expect

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

What should you do during intense showers?

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.

Full list of local areas affected

North East England
Darlington, Durham, Northumberland

North West England
Blackburn with Darwen, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire

Yorkshire and Humber
North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire

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 3pm on Tuesday.