A “DANGER to life” amber weather warning has been issued for the UK – with flooding and heavy rain set to batter the country.
Brave Brits have been spotted battling the elements across Britain today – with the soggy conditions set to worsen in the coming days.
The Met Office has warned the heavy rain could lead to flooding, travel chaos and possibly danger to life in some parts of the UK.
Revellers in Leeds were spotted braving the wind and rain to mark the first Otley Run of the Christmas season.
Motorists battled through huge puddles and tourists were seen hiding under brollies on the popular punt boats in Cambridge.
Remote villages have been warned they could be cut off in the event of heavy flooding on roads.
And there is also a chance of power cuts and loss of other services to homes and businesses in some areas.
But officials say the worst of the weather is set to hit south Wales from Sunday to Monday night, with up to 120mm of rain forecast.
Strong gusts and rainfall will also impact the rest of Wales, as well as the south west coast of England – which is subject to a yellow warning.
Heavy rain will reach the north west of England on Monday, spreading across the region until the early hours of Tuesday.
Yellow warnings for ice remain in place both today and tomorrow, with disruption expected in the north of England up to the Scottish border.
Issuing a stark warning, Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Mike Silverstone urged Brits to keep an eye on the “developing forecast”.
He said: “Heavy rain will move over south Wales from late Sunday and through Monday.
“Whilst rainfall amounts will vary, the largest accumulations are expected over the highest ground in south Wales and could reach 100-120mm through the day.
“60-80mm is most likely for many hills within the Amber warning area, while those to lower levels should see around 20-40mm through the day.
“Wider yellow warnings for rain have also been issued for the southwest and northwest of England, as well as central and northern parts of Wales.
“This is a developing forecast, so it’s important to stay up to date with Met Office warnings in the coming days.”
The worst of the wet weather will start overnight Sunday and into Monday, with heavy rain persisting until early on Tuesday.
A number of flood alerts and warnings are set to be issued in the coming days.
In the Amber weather warning area, fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely and could pose a danger to life.
Richard Preece, Natural Resources Wales’s Duty Tactical Manager, urged residents to check local flood warning pages online.
He said: “We are asking people to be alert for potential flooding with heavy rain predicted overnight on Sunday into Monday morning.
“With some rivers already swollen and the ground saturated, we expect to see a number of flood alerts and warnings issued.
“We also expect the rain to cause surface water issues. We’re urging people to be vigilant and to make preparations for potential flooding now.
“You can check if you live in an area at risk of flooding on our website and sign up for our free flood warning service.”
Last week, parts of the UK were doused in snow as temperatures plummeted to -12C.
How to stay safe in flooding
It’s never too late to take action and prepare for flooding. Follow these 6 simple steps to protect your home or business:
- Check the flood advice in your area to know when and where flooding will happen
- Charge mobile phone devices
- Park your car outside the flood zone
- Prepare a flood kit to help you cope in the event of flooding to your home and business
- Store valuables up high, including electrical devices, important documents and furniture
- Turn off gas water and electricity supplies
If you are trapped in a building by floodwater, follow these simple instructions to keep you and your family safe:
- Go to the highest level in the building you are in
- Do not go into attic spaces to avoid being trapped by rising water
- Only go to a roof if necessary
- Call 999 and wait for help
The Met Office issued a rare “thundersnow” warning, while hundreds of schools were forced to shut due to the wintery weather.
Officials confirmed the coldest temperature was recorded at Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands.
Temperatures were slightly milder in England and Wales, with lows of -6C at Trawsgoed in Ceredigion, Wales and -4C at Rostherne, Cheshire.
Drivers were forced to leave their cars on the icy roads and homes were left without power because of the snow.
Forecaster Simon Partridge said the chill stemmed primarily from “a little ridge of high pressure moving across the UK overnight”.
He added: “The main difference between that and previous nights is the winds are a lot lighter”.
