Dozens of flood alerts are in place across the UK after the Met Office warned that a month's worth of rainfall could batter parts of the country within a few hours. Yellow thunderstorm warnings are active for Wales, the North West, southern Cumbria, much of the Yorkshires and London until 10pm tonight, with further warnings for East Anglia, Lincolnshire, Essex and Kent from 5pm today until 7am tomorrow.
Risk of rapid flooding and property damage
Forecasters warned that flooding can occur quickly and that some homes and businesses might be at risk. Parts of Birmingham have already endured flooding today, with homes and businesses damaged after heavy rainfall overnight. Firefighters were called to roads near Perry Park in Birmingham at around 11:20pm last night, with six crews supported by West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council dealing with "significant flooding" affecting Curbar Road, Thornbridge Avenue and Haddon Road.
The fire service issued a further warning today, urging Brits to keep out of floodwater as it "moves much faster than you think" and is strong enough to shift cars several metres downstream. Perry Barr fire commander Adam Dean said: "Water moves much faster than you think. Even if you think you think it's safe - perhaps it's a local ford you've driven through many times before - don't risk it. If you do get stranded, don't try to get out of your vehicle in fast-flowing water. Call 999 and ask for the fire service."
Rainfall totals and flood warnings
The majority of the flood alerts today are located around Birmingham, the Midlands, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and in and around Greater London. The Met Office warned: "Some places may receive 30-50 mm of rain, much of this falling in less than three hours, with a lower chance of 50-75 mm in a few spots." Birmingham is at risk of seeing an excess of its typical 68mm of rainfall in August, as is Nottingham with its August average of 66mm. Liverpool sees an average of 72mm this month but also remains at risk of exceeding that within a few hours. Hull typically sees an average of 65mm and Sheffield could exceed its 65mm average within just a few hours.
A flood warning, where flooding is expected, is in place for the River Maun at Edwinstowe and Ollerton in Nottinghamshire. Dozens of flood alerts, where flooding is possible, cover areas including the Blackburn Brook in South Yorkshire, Ings Beck and Oakenshaw Beck in West Yorkshire, Loughborough urban watercourses in Leicestershire, and the Lower Dove Brooks in Staffordshire and Derbyshire.
Full list of affected regions
Further alerts cover the Lower Lee tributaries in Essex, Hertfordshire and Greater London, the Lower River Rother and Porter Brook Catchment in South Yorkshire, the Ravensbourne area in the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Bromley, Greenwich and Croydon, and the River Blythe in Warwickshire. The River Churnet and River Tean in Staffordshire, the River Cole in the West Midlands, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, and the River Colne and Fenay Beck Catchments in West Yorkshire are also on alert.
Other alerts include the River Doe Lea catchment in Derbyshire, the River Erewash and its tributaries in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, the River Holme Catchment in West Yorkshire, and the River Leen, Day Brook and Tottle Brook in Nottinghamshire. The River Maun in Nottinghamshire, the River Pinn and Woodridings Stream in Greater London, the River Rea in the West Midlands, the River Salwarpe in Worcestershire, and the Rivers Beam and Rom in Greater London and on the Essex border are all covered.
Additional alerts apply to the River Sheaf Catchment in South Yorkshire, the River Sow and River Penk in Staffordshire, the River Stour and Smestow Brook in the Black Country and South Staffordshire, the River Trent Tributaries in Nottinghamshire, and the Silk Stream and the Deans, Edgware, Dollis, Mutton, Wembley and Wealdstone Brooks in Greater London. Stone Trent in Staffordshire, tributaries in Leicester City and South Derbyshire, the Upper Dove in Staffordshire and Derbyshire, the Upper River Calder catchment in West Yorkshire, and the Upper River Colne and Radlett Brook in Hertfordshire are also listed.
Finally, alerts cover the Upper River Don and Upper River Rother catchments in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, the Upper Tame in the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Warwickshire, the Upper Tame at Sandwell Valley in the West Midlands, the Wash Dike catchment in West Yorkshire, the Whiston Brook catchment in South Yorkshire, and the Wyke Beck and Meanwood Beck catchments in West Yorkshire.
