The Met Office has issued an urgent yellow weather warning for heavy rain across a vast swathe of southern England, urging residents in 23 specific areas to check their homes for potential flood risks before conditions deteriorate on Thursday.
Widespread Disruption Expected
A deepening area of low pressure is forecast to move northeast across England and Wales throughout Thursday, bringing persistent and heavy rainfall that is likely to cause disruption. The warning is active from 9am until 10pm on Thursday, 15 January 2026.
The weather agency has advised people in the affected regions to assess whether their property could be vulnerable to flooding. If there is a risk, households are strongly recommended to prepare a flood plan and an emergency flood kit without delay.
Essential Advice for Residents
Practical steps from the forecaster include gathering torches, a mobile phone power pack, and other essential items in case of power cuts. The public is also warned to expect possible travel chaos, with bus and train services likely to be disrupted and journey times extended due to spray and flooding on roads.
Rainfall totals of 20mm to 30mm are expected widely, with some locations seeing this volume fall in just a few hours. Isolated spots could see accumulations reach 40mm to 50mm.
"Heavy rain falling on saturated ground may lead to some surface water flooding on Thursday," a Met Office spokesperson stated.
Full List of Affected Areas
The yellow warning covers numerous counties and unitary authorities, primarily in the South East and South West of England. Key areas include:
London & South East England:
- Bracknell Forest
- Brighton and Hove
- East Sussex
- Hampshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Oxfordshire
- Portsmouth
- Reading
- Southampton
- Surrey
- West Berkshire
- West Sussex
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Wokingham
South West England:
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
- Devon
- Dorset
- Somerset
- South Gloucestershire
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
Cold Snap Continues in Scotland
Meanwhile, separate weather concerns affect Scotland, where a yellow ice warning remains in force until 10am on Wednesday. The Met Office described a "bright but cold start" for most, with rain sweeping in later and turning heavy by tonight. This precipitation could briefly fall as snow to lower levels across the north before clear spells and showers follow from the west.
The forecaster emphasises that the public in the 23 warned areas should stay updated on the latest forecasts and take proactive steps to ensure their safety and protect their property ahead of tomorrow's expected deluge.
