Heavy Rain To Hit Britain as Met Office Warns of Flooding and Travel Disruption

The UK is facing another day of wet and windy weather, with more than 10 flood warnings issued by the Met Office across England, Wales and Scotland.

The heavy rain is expected to continue falling on already saturated ground, causing disruption to travel and power supplies.

More Than 100 Properties Flooded in Cumbria

(Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

One of the worst-hit areas was Cumbria, where more than 100 properties were flooded and hundreds of homes were left without power after heavy snow and rain on Monday.

The county council said it was working with the Environment Agency and other partners to provide support to affected residents and businesses.

The council's leader, Stewart Young, said: "We are doing everything we can to help those who have been affected by the flooding and to minimise the impact on our communities. We are also urging people to take extra care on the roads, as there may be debris and surface water, and to avoid driving through flood water."

The Environment Agency said it had deployed temporary flood barriers and pumps in several locations, including Kendal, Keswick and Appleby. It also warned of the risk of landslides and urged people to stay away from steep slopes and river banks.

Also Read: UK Weather: Heavy Rain Triggers More Than 150 Flood Alerts

More Rain Expected on Thursday

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for rain for parts of southern and central England, Wales and Scotland, valid until Thursday evening.

It said that some areas could see up to 60mm of rain in 24 hours, with the potential for localised flooding and travel disruption.

The Met Office's chief meteorologist, Frank Saunders, said: "The heaviest and most persistent rain is likely to be across Wales and the high ground of northern England. By Thursday and Friday the rainfall will be lighter and more intermittent and it will turn drier from the west, but there will still be a risk of flooding in some areas."

The Met Office also said that there was a chance of some snow and ice on higher ground in Scotland and northern England, especially on Thursday night and Friday morning.

It advised people to take care when travelling and to follow the advice of local authorities and emergency services.

The Met Office's long-range forecast, which covers the period from 18 December to 1 January, suggested that there could be more unsettled weather over the Christmas period, with a possibility of some snow and frost in some areas

How climate change is shifting the UK's high-impact weather

The recent extreme weather events in the UK are not isolated incidents, but part of a larger pattern of climate change that is affecting the country.

A new study by the Met Office has examined how high-impact weather, such as extremely hot days, heavy rainfall and very cold conditions, could be affected at different levels of global warming.

The study, published in the journal Climatic Change, found that the higher the level of global warming, the projected increase in frequency or severity or both will be stronger for hot weather, droughts and flooding in the UK.

These high-impact weather events can cause significant disruption across the UK affecting sectors such as health, transport, agriculture and energy.

Related article: UK Weather Update: Met Office Warns of Dangerous Snow, Ice Conditions; Flood Warnings Reported