Rainfall warning: Met Office issues all-day yellow rain alerts for south of England and south Wales
The south and south west of England and south Wales are facing a drenching today - with yellow rain warnings issued for the areas.
The Met Office has issued warnings for the length of the south coast, and up to Gloucestershire and Oxford, but it skirts around the south of London.
The areas covered by the warnings abut each other, with one covering England up to Devon. This one runs from 9am to 9pm, and the Met Office has said: “Following some rain on Wednesday, then a bit of a lull for most areas early Thursday morning, heavier rain is expected to return across southern counties of England from mid-morning onwards. This has potential to cause some disruption to travel, along the with the possibility of some flooding.
“Widely 15mm to 25mm is likely across the warning area, but 40mm to 50mm may fall in some places, most likely over the Downs. In addition, the rain will be accompanied by strong winds, with a chance of gusts approaching 60mph on exposed southern coasts, and 40mph to 50mph possible inland. Rain will clear to the east by the end of the day.”
The warning that covers Devon, Cornwall and south Wales is in place from 10am to 7pm and the Met Office has said: “An area of heavy rain will move northeast across the warning area during Thursday morning and afternoon before clearing to the east through the evening.
“Given recent very wet weather, there is potential for some disruption to travel and possible flooding. Much of the warning area will see 15mm to 25mm but some places could see 40-50mm, with the highest totals falling over high ground of south Wales and Dartmoor.
“In addition, strong winds will accompany the rain, and may exacerbate some of the impacts. There is a chance of 60mph to 70mph gusts along the exposed south coast, and perhaps 40mph to 50mph some way inland across southwest England.”
Christmas week forecast
The Met Office says the unsettled weather will continue, and that Monday will bring further rain at times, especially across some western areas, while the east stays largely dry with some bright or sunny intervals developing. Temperatures will be close to average for most, and a white Christmas is not that likely.
Tom Crabtree, deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: “High pressure is expected to build into next week, bringing drier and less mild conditions for the Christmas period. Although temperatures will drop, they are not plummeting. Overnight frosts are likely, and some mist and fog is possible in places, but significant cold weather looks less probable. Falling temperatures do bring the potential for some wintry showers in the east, but it is too early to discern details for any particular day over the Christmas period.”