Heavy rainfall is expected to bring more than a month’s worth of rain to parts of the UK on Monday, leading to widespread flood risks. The Met Office has issued a yellow rain warning for most of England and Wales, while a more severe amber warning is in place for certain areas, urging residents to “act now” to prepare for potential flooding of homes and businesses.
The amber alert affects towns and cities like Birmingham, Sheffield, Northampton, and Stoke-on-Trent, particularly in northern and central England. In these areas, significant travel disruptions and property damage are anticipated.
Flooding has already begun in southeastern regions overnight, with Dunstable in Bedfordshire and Hitchin in Hertfordshire seeing residents evacuated due to rising waters. Bedfordshire Police closed the High Street in Dunstable due to “substantial flooding.”
Frank Saunders, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, explained: “Monday’s heavy rain follows a wet weekend for many, with the amber warning now covering regions from Gloucester to the Midlands, stretching to the Wash and Humber. Some areas could see between 50 and 80 mm of rain, with isolated spots potentially exceeding 100 mm, bringing significant risks of flooding and travel chaos.”
The Environment Agency has also issued warnings of “significant” flooding, with flood duty manager Sarah Cook citing “persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms” as contributing factors.
While weather is expected to improve across England and Wales on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Meteorologist David Oliver warned that unsettled conditions would return midweek. Showers and longer periods of rain are forecast for many parts of the UK as new systems move in from the Atlantic.
