Warning: Yellow
To expect: Rain
Affected areas: London and South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands
Start time estimate: Monday 6pm
End time estimate: Tuesday 6pm
The Met Office has announced a Yellow rain alert for London and South East England, South West England, Wales and West Midlands across the UK for Monday and Tuesday.
The warning is covering parts of London and South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands. All local areas affected are listed below.
The regions will be lashed by intense showers, which are anticipated to start pouring on Monday at around 6pm before dying out on Tuesday 6pm.
The Yellow warning for rain was announced at 10:35am on Saturday, December 6.
A Met Office forecast said: “Outbreaks of rain will become persistent and heavy on Monday night into Tuesday morning, and whilst the rain may be more intermittent during Tuesday daytime some occasional heavy bursts will still be possible. There will naturally be some variation in rainfall totals across the area, but accumulations of 20-40 mm are likely in quite a few places, with 60-80 mm over Dartmoor and high ground in south Wales. There is a small chance of 80-100 mm falling over the most exposed, prone hills. 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 southerly winds, which may exacerbate impacts.”
What to expect
Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures; Where flooding occurs, there is a slight chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services; There is a small chance that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads; 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; There is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses.
What should you do during heavy 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.
Full list of local regions affected
London and South East England
Hampshire
South West England
Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Torbay, Wiltshire
Wales
Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan
West Midlands
Herefordshire
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 6pm on Tuesday.