The River Ouse burst its banks in York on Thursday, flooding the Lowther pub and the Kings Arms and leaving pavements under water. Raw sewage was reported leaking through drains and running down streets, while some homes were left without power and cars were swamped by the torrential conditions.
Flood warnings remain in force across England, Scotland and Wales. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for strong wind gusts across much of North West Wales, England and Northern Ireland from 3pm Thursday to 3am Friday. The wet and windy weather is expected to continue into the weekend, with sleet and snow possible on higher ground.
In Wales, roads have been submerged and closed due to falling trees, with officials raising 19 flood warnings and 35 flood alerts. The River Taff burst its banks in Cardiff, flooding parks and walking routes along the Taff Trail, including Taff's Well Park. Maerdy in the Rhondda Valley recorded 82.2mm of rainfall between 9pm on Wednesday and midday Thursday, while Nant yr Ysfa in Pontypridd saw 77.2mm and West Dunkery in Somerset recorded 59.6mm.
Residents in Shropshire and along the Welsh border in Herefordshire have been told to take action to protect their homes, with flooding expected in Ironbridge and Jackfield. Four train lines have been blocked in Wales, along with two between Bristol and Swindon, and Network Rail said they would remain closed for the rest of the day.
The Met Office has warned of gales across north-west England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with gusts of 45-55mph expected, and 65-70mph on exposed coasts and hills. Heavy showers are likely to make travelling difficult, and large waves could pose an additional hazard in coastal areas.
Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said the heaviest rain had largely moved eastwards towards the north of the UK, bringing rain to parts of Scotland on Thursday afternoon. He added that Friday would remain unsettled as a prelude to another band of rain bringing showers across most of the UK on Saturday and into Sunday morning, with the heaviest rain expected in west Wales and the South West, where some areas could see more than 50mm.
