Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain across parts of the UK
The Met Office has advised people to do one thing before driving, as a yellow weather warning is in place for parts of the UK. People living in the south west of England and Northern Ireland can expect to see heavy rainfall until Friday morning.
This comes after Storm Chandra battered regions of the UK, “compounding” the risk of flooding and other issues. On its website, the Met Office explained that the south west will see heavy rain from Thursday afternoon until Friday morning, while Northern Ireland will be hit on Thursday night.
Matthew Lehnert, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “On Thursday, showers in south west England will be replaced by a more organised area of rain when the next system reaches the south of Cornwall around Thursday lunchtime. There’s a yellow warning for rain in place from noon until Friday morning, with the focus for heavier rain across south west England as the wet conditions spread northeast across the warning area.
“The rain is only likely to last for a few hours in each location, but will be heavy at times. 10 to 15 mm is likely quite widely, but in some areas, particularly towards the south coast, a further 20 to 25 mm is possible. This rain will fall onto already saturated ground, compounding the impacts of Storm Chandra, so we’re encouraging people to stay up to date with the latest forecast and follow any advice from the emergency services and local authorities.”
What to do during a yellow weather warning
The Met Office further explained: “Further rain on Thursday afternoon to early Friday is expected to lead to some transport disruption and exacerbate flooding in places.”
It said this could lead to:
- Spray and flooding on roads will make journey times longer
- Bus and train services affected with journey times taking longer
- Flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely
As part of its advice, it therefore told people to “check” road conditions before driving anywhere. It said: “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. 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.”
If a road is flooded
If you find a road is flooded, the Met Office offered the following advice:
- If the road is flooded, turn around and find another route. The number one cause of death during flooding is driving through flood water, so the safest advice is turn around, don’t drown
- Although the water may seem shallow, just 12 inches (30cm) of moving water can float your car, potentially taking it to deeper water from which you may need rescuing
- Flood water also contains hidden hazards which can damage your car, and just an egg-cupful of water sucked into your car’s engine will lead to severe damage
- Never drive through flood water. Turn around
For more information, visit the Met Office website here.
