The Met Office has escalated weather warnings to amber, forecasting a potential month's worth of rainfall to deluge parts of the United Kingdom within a single 24-hour period. This significant weather event is expected to bring severe disruption, with flooding and travel chaos anticipated across several regions.
Warnings and Impacted Regions
An amber weather warning has been officially issued for parts of Wales, indicating a high level of threat. Concurrently, less severe but still significant yellow weather warnings for rain are in place across much of the rest of the UK. The Met Office has confirmed that the amber warning will be active from midnight on Monday, December 1, and remain in force throughout the entire day.
Senior Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna provided a stark assessment, stating, "We could see up to 120mm of rain, so almost five inches, in a few places." He emphasised that this torrential downpour is set to exacerbate already saturated ground conditions, leading to a high probability of flooding, particularly across South Wales.
Expected Disruption and Consequences
The anticipated heavy rain is likely to cause widespread problems for the public and infrastructure. The Met Office has warned of several potential consequences, including:
- Road closures due to flooding and dangerous driving conditions.
- Cancellations and delays to bus and train services.
- A heightened risk of power cuts in affected areas.
- The potential for landslides on both natural slopes and near infrastructure.
Some transport operators are already taking preemptive action. ScotRail, for instance, has implemented speed restrictions on certain routes in anticipation of the severe weather. The public is being urged to prepare for these eventualities, with suggestions to assemble a flood kit to ensure readiness for potential emergencies.
Timeline and Broader Outlook
The core of the heaviest rain is forecast to move over south Wales between late Sunday and late Monday. While rainfall amounts will vary, the persistent nature of the downpours is the primary concern for meteorologists. This event marks a very unsettled and disruptive start to the month of December, with western parts of England, Wales, and southwest Scotland expected to bear the brunt of the severe conditions.
