The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings for parts of the UK as a prolonged period of heavy rain threatens to cause flooding. The warnings, covering Wednesday night and Thursday, come as forecasters predict up to 10mm of rain per hour in some areas, particularly the north of England and Wales.
In the Lake District, evacuation plans are reportedly under discussion due to the intense rainfall. Cockermouth and surrounding areas have already seen high levels of precipitation, with water running off the fells into towns and villages. Flood warnings are in place, and damage to buildings is possible.
Further north, Glasgow has experienced significant flooding, leading to road closures around Ibrox stadium and the cancellation of the first night of GlasGLOW, a major Halloween event. The heavy rain is expected to persist through Friday, with southern Scotland and Cumbria particularly affected.
Yellow weather warnings remain in effect for Carlisle, Wales, and parts of Northern Ireland into Friday. The Met Office warns of potential power cuts and disruptions to public transport. While southern and eastern England will remain largely dry and mild, the rest of the country can expect unsettled conditions with bands of rain and strong winds.
Forecasters from WXCharts predict rainfall rates of 5-7mm per hour in Wales and the southwest on Thursday. The long-range outlook suggests that northwesterly winds will dominate until late November, bringing cooler temperatures and further rain, particularly to western and northwestern regions.
