UK weather: Heavy rain subsides for improved conditions but travel still disrupted following flooding

Road and rail transport has been disrupted after parts of the country were lashed with heavy downpours on Monday. According to the Met Office, some areas of Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire saw rainfall of 100mm within the last 48 hours, with Woburn in Bedfordshire experiencing 132mm of rain, more than twice the average September amount.

The Environment Agency (EA) had yesterday issued multiple flood warnings and alerts due to the heavy rain. There are more in place today, with 34 flood warnings and 96 flood alerts across the country.

National Highways described the disruption on normally busy roads, saying that that A421 in Bedfordshire is to remain closed in both directions between A1 Bedford and M1 J13 near Marston Moretaine today (September 24) due to severe flooding. The A5 between A421 in Blechley and Great Holm at Milton Keynes has also been impacted and been closed by officials due to rising water levels.

Rail passengers are also facing disruption this morning. Flooding between Rugby and Milton Keynes has disrupted Avanti West Coast services, which are likely to be impacted until 10am according to National Rail. London Northwestern Railway is also facing disruption, with its Marston Vale line suspended until September 30, and Chiltern Railways are running services between Banbury and Bicester North at reduces speeds.

While the drier weather on Tuesday will be a reprieve from the heavy rain, temperatures are set to feel noticeably cooler. Some isolated heavy showers may be seen in parts of Scotland and northern England with the chance of thunder according to the Met Office.

Meteorologist Liam Eslick said: “There may be odd, heavier bursts just clipping the south east as a system does slowly start to move away, but it’s a much drier day for most people. There are going to be some isolated showers here and there, but they’re going to be very light, nothing like the torrential rain that we’ve seen over the last couple of days.”

The dip in temperatures will continue into Wednesday and Thursday, although it will not be cool enough to develop any frost, with plenty of cloud around. Mr Eslick added: “As the system that we have had moves its way off towards the east, we start to get a bit more of a northerly flow so we’re bringing in that cooler northerly winds. The winds aren’t going to be strong at all, but with the direction that it is coming in, there will be a bit more of a fresher feel.”