Parts of England and Wales are facing continued flood risks after being battered by Storm Claudia, with a sharp cold snap set to bring freezing temperatures and potential snow early next week.
Widespread Flooding and Travel Chaos
Storm Claudia brought torrential rain and strong winds throughout Friday, leading to significant disruption. The Environment Agency had issued 80 flood warnings, meaning flooding was expected, alongside 194 flood alerts indicating possible flooding, particularly across central England.
The transport network suffered severe impacts. Flooding on the line halted trains between London Paddington and Bristol and South Wales, with passengers advised not to travel. CrossCountry reported 40 cancellations, while Transport for Wales, Great Western Railway, Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, West Midlands Railway, East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway and TransPennine Express all experienced significant delays, cancellations, or operated reduced timetables.
Road travel was also hazardous. The AA reported a 15% increase in callouts due to the adverse conditions. Tony Rich, Head of Road Safety at The AA, urged drivers in the worst-hit areas to stay off the roads until the storm had passed.
A Shift to Freezing Conditions
As the worst of the rain subsides, a new weather threat is emerging. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a cold weather alert for the Midlands, North East, North West, and Yorkshire and The Humber. This alert is active from 8am on Monday, 17th November, until 8am on Friday, 21st November.
Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick explained the change: "Winds changing to be a bit more northerly [will be] introducing a lot of Arctic air." She added that while conditions would become brighter, "it's going to be feeling much colder."
The Met Office forecasts that this colder air will bring overnight frosts across the UK, with lows of minus 5C possible in rural Scotland by Monday. Snow and sleet are possible on north-facing coasts and hills early next week.
Record Rainfall and Property Damage
The intensity of Storm Claudia was highlighted by rainfall data. By 4pm on Friday, a rain gauge at Tafalog in Gwent, southeast Wales, had recorded 81.8mm of rain – already 60% of the region's average monthly rainfall for November.
Sally Davies, duty tactical manager at Natural Resources Wales (NRW), had warned that the rain would be "extremely heavy" in parts of South East Wales and Powys, leading to a risk of severe flooding. The Environment Agency confirmed that flooding had already occurred in northern England, affecting at least 17 properties.
While an amber warning for rain for parts of the south west and Midlands expired on Friday evening, the Environment Agency has warned that flooding will continue throughout the weekend as the country braces for the impending cold snap.
