The Met Office has extended the coverage of today’s weather alert to include a large portion of the country in anticipation of heavy rainfall. A yellow rain warning is in effect from 9am to 10pm, encompassing 47 areas that now include parts of East England and the Midlands, in addition to the already listed regions in South East and South West England. Rainfall is expected to move northeastward across England and Wales, intensifying at times before tapering off later in the evening and night, according to the Met Office.
Potential impacts of the heavy rain may include flooding in homes and businesses, disruptions to bus and train services, and longer travel times due to wet roads. Residents are advised to assess the risk of flooding to their properties and prepare a flood plan along with an emergency kit. Additionally, the Met Office suggests being ready for potential power outages by having torches, a mobile phone power pack, and other essentials on hand.
Rainfall totals of 20mm to 30mm are forecasted across a wide area, with some locations experiencing this amount within a short period. Certain isolated areas, particularly in southern England, could witness accumulations of up to 50mm.
The Met Office warns that heavy rain on already saturated ground might lead to surface water flooding on Thursday. Later in the day, strong winds are expected to affect parts of southern and southeast England, with gusts of up to 50mph possible along exposed coastlines.
For today, the rain warning is the sole advisory from the Met Office. The forecast indicates that heavy rain and strong winds will move across central, southern, and eastern England, as well as eastern Wales, with sunshine and scattered showers expected elsewhere. Rain and wind are predicted to clear from England during the night, leaving clear skies nationwide with showers in the west.
Looking ahead to Friday, the forecast anticipates early frost and fog clearing to bring sunshine and showers. Showers are expected to be most intense and frequent in the west and southwest, with a chance of hail and thunder. Breezy conditions are likely, especially in the southwest.