The Met Office has issued yellow and amber weather warnings for London and much of England, with heavy rain expected to bring further flooding on Monday night. The yellow warning covers London, the South, the Midlands, Wales, and parts of northern England until midnight, while an amber warning is in place until 9pm over areas including Worcester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Hull.
Forecasters warn that some affected areas could see 100 to 120mm of rain on Monday alone – more than a month’s worth – and further disruption is anticipated. The heavy rain has already caused chaos on the Underground, train and road networks, with firefighters rescuing motorists from submerged cars overnight on Sunday.
Monday offered some respite, but the Met Office predicts patchy rain in the afternoon, becoming more steady in the evening, with heavy rain expected again late on Monday night into early Tuesday. The yellow warning means homes and businesses could be flooded, driving conditions may be difficult, and road closures are possible. Train and bus services could also be disrupted, and power cuts may occur.
As of 5am, the Environment Agency had issued 13 flood warnings for England, including parts of London such as Wimbledon and South Ruislip, as well as Atherstone in Warwickshire, Leighton Buzzard and Luton in Bedfordshire. In Colliers Wood, south-west London, several roads were flooded early on Monday.
Bedfordshire Police urged the public to only call if there is an immediate threat to life, as emergency services work to help those affected. Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey warned temperatures are set to drop below average for the time of year, with northerly winds pushing in across the UK later this week.
