Britain braces for an additional soaking as Storm Bert clean-up continues: Map reveals rain warning for the South as as much as TWO INCHES is ready to fall with extra flooding ‘seemingly’ for areas hit by weekend downpours
Further torrential downpours will hit southern England tonight after the Met Office issued a fresh warning for up to two inches of rain over a 14-hour period.
Forecasters said Sussex, Kent and the Isle of Wight could be worst affected by the rain, with a yellow warning in place from 10pm this evening until 12pm tomorrow.
Disruption to trains and buses is expected along with spray on roads, flooding to homes or businesses and interruption to power supplies and other services.
The warning area covers the South East coast of England from Essex down to Kent and along to Dorset, with a separate section further west for parts of Devon. It also covers much of Sussex, extending up to the edges of South and South East London.
Meteorologists said much of the warning zone will see 15mm (0.6in) to 20mm (0.8in) of rain with 30mm (1.2in) to 40mm (1.6in) in some areas, with a ‘lower chance’ of 50mm (2in) of rain in places, ‘more likely for the Isle of Wight, Sussex and Kent’.
The downpours will then ease and clear by early afternoon tomorrow, but disruption to travel and infrastructure has been deemed ‘likely’ given the recent wet weather.
While many parts of the UK will see ‘a dry and largely sunny day’ with lighter winds today, an area of low pressure will bring heavy rain into southern areas overnight.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: ‘On Tuesday night, we’ll see outbreaks of rain spreading north-eastwards, which could be heavy at times.
Vehicles are driven through floodwater along a country lane in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, today
The Met Office has issued a yellow rain warning from 10pm this evening until 12pm tomorrow
Hundreds of areas were still on flood watch today, with 137 alerts and 132 warnings in England
‘We’re expected this to be heaviest across the South/South East of England although subtle changes over the next 24 hours will have an impact on how this develops.
‘There could also be strong winds for a time. Along with the rain, things will turn colder from Wednesday for all, with frost and some freezing fog possible.’
Mr Silverstone said overnight temperatures could dip to as low as -6C (21F) tonight in places prone to frost.
It comes as the Met Office insisted it will learn lessons from Storm Bert after criticism over its ‘incompetence’ that led to a ‘clear underestimation’ of the devastating impact.
Hundreds of homes were left underwater and roads turned into rivers after the UK was hit by up to seven inches of rain, heavy snow and 82mph winds at the weekend.
Torrential downpours caused widespread flooding with nearly 300 warnings or alerts still in place across Britain this morning as major rail disruption continued.
The River Avon burst its banks and flooded nearby properties in Bradford-on-Avon yesterday
Water levels rise on the River Ouse in York yesterday after Storm Bert affected much of the UK
Rob Scholes, 75, walks through floodwater after an apparent mudslide at Cwmtillery in Wales
A ‘danger to life’ severe flood warning is still in place at Billing Aquadrome in Northampton
Great Western Railway faced the biggest disruption with customers ‘advised not to travel’ between Exeter, Okehampton and Barnstaple today. Major issues were also reported in the Northampton area, and around Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales.
The Met Office has been accused of ‘letting down’ the public with Labour MP for Cardiff West, Alex Barros-Curtis, saying warnings should have been ‘amber or red’.
But Met Office services director Simon Brown insisted ‘observed rainfall totals were broadly in line with the forecast and the severe weather warnings issued in advance.’
He said 50 weather warnings were issued last week, but added: ‘I’m committed to learning the lessons from Storm Bert to support even greater preparedness.’
Environment Secretary Steve Reed said more flooding is ‘likely’ this week although the impacts ‘should be less severe’ than they were on Sunday and yesterday.
Communities today continued a ‘massive clean-up’, with residents in some affected areas having said they do not believe the chaos will by cleared by Christmas.
Areas were still on flood watch today, with 137 alerts and 132 warnings in England; 15 alerts and six warnings in Wales; and two alerts and two warnings in Scotland.
A ‘danger to life’ severe flood warning was also still in place at Billing Aquadrome holiday park and the surrounding parks next to the River Nene in Northampton.
At least five lives were claimed by the storm, including a man in his 80s who died after his car entered water at a ford in Colne, Lancashire, on Saturday.
A body was found in the search for Brian Perry, 75, who went missing while walking his dog near the Afon Conwy river in North Wales on the same day.
