Storm Claudia sparks journey chaos as heavy rain and 70mph winds batter Britain and heads for London
Storm Claudia brought travel chaos to Britain today as the country was hit by a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours, 70mph wind gusts and more than 120 flood alerts.
Two 12-hour ‘danger to life’ amber warnings for up to 6in (150mm) of rain were imposed for parts of central England and South Wales, from noon until midnight.
A wider area of Wales, central and southern England including London was under a 24-hour yellow rain warning for up to 4in (100m) from 6am today until 6am tomorrow.
Two yellow wind warnings, from noon until midnight, cover parts of North West Wales and North West England with strong easterly winds and thunderstorms on the way.
The Environment Agency was braced for river flooding, imposing 96 flood alerts and three warnings across the country. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency had one warning and seven alerts, while Natural Resources Wales issued 21 alerts.
National Rail warned of disruption, with flooding between Exeter and Barnstaple in Devon affecting trains until Sunday and emergency speed restrictions in Scotland.
At least seven train operators were running a reduced service due to the weather – Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Railway.
The AA advised motorists against travelling in the ‘hazardous weather’, saying conditions could ‘change quickly’ as Claudia moves up into the UK from Spain.
Flooding during heavy rain in the Euston area of London this morning as Storm Claudia hits
A commuter uses an umbrella during heavy rain near Euston station in London this morning
The amber warnings for ‘persistent and heavy’ rain come into force from noon today until the end of the day and cover parts of Wales, the Midlands, the South West, the South East and east of England.
The Met Office said that in England some places could have 80mm of rain, while part of Wales may be hit by 100mm to 150mm on the higher ground, or 50mm to 75mm generally across the region.
All of this may be ‘exacerbated’ by strong easterly winds, as well as thunderstorms later this afternoon, the forecaster added.
Storm Claudia, named by the Spanish Meteorological Agency, has already brought heavy rain and strong winds to Spain and Portugal.
A separate yellow warning for rain covers much of England, from Cheshire and North Yorkshire to the south coast, for a 24-hour period from 6am today, and a warning for winds of up to 70mph in some western areas of the UK is in place from noon until midnight.
The Met Office said the weather may cause power cuts, travel disruption and damage to buildings.
Travellers are urged to be cautious as a large swathe of central and southern England and Wales today into tomorrow will be soaked.
The slow-moving downpours mean ‘some areas could see up to a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours’, according to Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert.
He added: ‘Much of this will fall on saturated ground, increasing the chances of flooding and contributing to the amber warnings we have issued.
The Environment Agency has issued three flood warnings (in red) and 96 alerts (in orange)
Cumulative rainfall totals from Thursday until tomorrow could reach over 100mm (4in) in areas
‘Within the amber warning areas, some could see in excess of 150mm accumulate during the event, with 60 to 80mm fairly widely.
‘Gusty winds in the north-west of England and north-west Wales is an additional hazard, with 60 to 70mph gusts possible in exposed places within the warning area.’
Unlike many named storms, Storm Claudia is not expected to directly cross the country, and instead will maintain its position in the West, the Met Office said.
Floods minister Emma Hardy said: ‘As parts of the country are forecast to experience heavy rainfall, I recognise people will be concerned about the risk to their homes and livelihoods.
‘I am in regular contact with the Environment Agency on their response to the expected flooding who, alongside local authorities and the emergency services, are already taking action to keep communities safe.’
The AA has advised against travelling in the ‘hazardous weather’, saying: ‘Safety comes first. Conditions may change quickly, so stay updated and make sure you’re prepared before you travel.’
It added: ‘Flood water can appear quickly, and even shallow water can be dangerous – never try to drive through it.’
The Environment Agency said there is likely to be some surface water and river flooding in the North of England.
It said it has been working with emergency services and local authorities to ensure they are fully prepared for when the storm hits today.
Flood duty manager Ben Lukey said: ‘Storm Claudia will bring heavy prolonged rainfall across parts of England, with significant surface water flooding probable across parts of central England on Friday. River flooding impacts are also possible tomorrow and into Saturday.’
This morning, the agency had issued three flood warnings – where flooding is expected – in the north west of England, with 96 alerts in place.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency had a flood warning in place for Glen Lyon in Perthshire, as well as seven flood alerts, while Natural Resources Wales has issued 21 flood alerts.
RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: ‘We urge drivers to take the amber weather warnings associated with Storm Claudia extremely seriously, as they indicate roads are likely to become flooded and therefore represent a risk to life.
‘Drivers may wish to consider delaying their journeys until the worst of the impacts are over, especially in areas that are hardest hit this weekend.’
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents urged the public to take extra precautions ahead of Storm Claudia.
Steve Cole, the charity’s policy director, said: ‘Storm Claudia isn’t just a risk outdoors; homes may be vulnerable too.
‘Secure garden furniture, bins, and anything that could blow away or cause damage. Indoors, make sure windows and doors are firmly shut and keep an emergency kit ready.
‘On the roads, your regular journey may be difficult. Rain doubles stopping distances and aquaplaning can happen in seconds. Slow down, keep your distance, and never attempt to drive through floodwater. These simple steps can help protect your home, your journey and keep communities safe.’
Britain is also preparing to face its first widespread snowfall since last winter as temperatures take a dramatic plunge across the country from this weekend.
The UK has been enjoying unseasonably mild weather for late autumn in recent weeks, but an upcoming shift in wind direction will lead to Arctic air taking hold over the country, with an increased chance of snow in the North through the weekend.
By the middle of next week conditions could also be cold enough for the whole country to see snowflakes at times, according to ITV forecaster Laura Tobin .
Ms Tobin told Good Morning Britain today: ‘It’s so mild. Are we really going to get snow next week? And the answer is: yes, we are. It’s exciting, isn’t it! We’re going to say goodbye to the mild and hello to some sunshine as well.’
The Met Office has warned of a ‘big change in our weather ahead through the next ten days’ with conditions being ‘noticeably colder everywhere’ by next week.
