An amber warning for rain is in place for seven areas in southwest England – those affected by the bad weather may wish to put together a flood kit containing seven vital items
Brits have been warned they could need seven vital items as Storm Chandra hits the UK, triggering amber and yellow weather warnings.
An amber warning for rain is in place for seven areas in southwest England, with locals advised that there could be “heavy rain, flooding and disruption” caused. The warning is in place from 5pm this evening until 9am tomorrow.
“Homes and businesses are likely to be flooded, causing damage to some buildings,” the Met Office, which has implemented the alert, said. “Fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life… Delays and some cancellations to train and bus services are likely.”
The Met Office has suggested those in vulnerable areas may want to consider the following seven items as part of a flood kit to help “save you from loss or damage due to flooding to your home or business”. This should include:
- Insurance and any other important documents
- A torch and spare batteries
- A first aid kit
- Prescription medicines
- Supplies for looking after your family members or pets
- Warm, waterproof clothes, blankets
- Food and water
Difficult driving conditions, power cuts and some communities being cut off by flooding are possible, the weather service said. Landslides are also possible in some “prone locations”, as around 30-50mm of rain could fall widely with up to 60-80mm over higher ground of south Dartmoor.
The following areas are affected by the amber alert: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Cornwall; Devon; Dorset; Plymouth; Somerset and Torbay.
A yellow warning for rain is also in place from 1pm today until 10am tomorrow. The following areas are affected:
- Southeast England: Hampshire; Isle of Wight; Oxfordshire; Southampton; West Berkshire
- Southwest England: Bath and North East Somerset; Bournemouth; Christchurch and Poole; Bristol; Cornwall; Devon; Dorset; Gloucestershire; North Somerset; Plymouth; Somerset; South Gloucestershire; Swindon; 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; Shropshire
And another warning is in place in Northern Ireland today, with counties Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone all impacted from 12pm until midnight tonight.
The outlook for tomorrow amid bad weather from Storm Chandra looks bleak. Several weather warnings have been issued, including amber warnings for south-west England and the eastern coast of Northern Ireland for rain and wind respectively.
The Met Office said gusts of 60-70mph will affect eastern Northern Ireland, with possible 75mph gusts in coastal locations, adding that “easterly winds of this strength are unusual and are likely to be impactful”.
Along with the southwest, where Storm Ingrid wreaked havoc and washed away part of a historic pier on the weekend, forecasters expect more downpour with less severe weather warnings for parts of northern England and Scotland.
A yellow warning for wind covers Cornwall, southwestern Wales and parts of northern Devon, while yellow warnings for snow have been issued for Scotland and northern England where 2-5cm could fall widely and as much as 10-20cm could accumulate at higher elevations.
An update from the Environment Agency shows 21 flood warnings and 124 flood alerts were in place across England as of 1pm on Monday.
Flood warnings have been issued across the South West mostly, and two are in place around York.
Met Office chief forecaster Paul Gundersen said: “Initially, strong winds will impact the Isles of Scilly, western Cornwall and south-west Wales which are still vulnerable after Storm Goretti, gusts of 70 to 80mph are possible here.
“Heavy rain is an additional hazard as it falls on saturated ground in Dorset and southern parts of Devon, Somerset and Cornwall. As Chandra interacts with colder air further north snow becomes a hazard, with 10-20cm of snow possibly accumulating over higher ground in the Pennines, southern Scotland and the Highlands.
“With a complex spell of weather, its important people stay up to date with the forecast and any warnings in your area.”
