The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain across parts of the UK as the remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive. The warning for Wales came into effect at 8am on Thursday and will last until 4pm, covering areas including Bridgend, Powys, Swansea and Neath. A separate warning for England, including London, the East, South East and South West, will be in place from 10pm Thursday until midday Friday.
Heavy showers are expected to continue through Thursday morning and early afternoon, feeding in from the Bristol Channel. The Met Office said conditions will ease later in the day as the wind direction shifts from south-westerly to westerly. Up to 10-20mm of rain and gusts exceeding 50mph are forecast in some areas, particularly along coasts and on high ground.
The forecaster warned of possible flooding to homes and businesses, road disruptions, power cuts and public transport issues. Residents are advised to check flood risk, prepare an emergency kit with torches, batteries and mobile phone power packs, and stay updated on weather forecasts. Drivers should check road conditions to avoid delays.
Hurricane Erin, which struck the US last week, intensified into a Category 5 storm on 16 August with sustained winds of 160mph, marking one of the fastest intensifications on record. Its remnants now bring an end to a prolonged dry spell for the UK, which experienced record-breaking temperatures over the bank holiday weekend, including 29.1°C in Hawarden, Flintshire.
Chief meteorologist Steve Willington said: “A westerly regime is now in charge of the UK’s weather and will help fuel periods of wet and windy weather over the next few days. While many areas may welcome some rain after fairly prolonged dry weather, there’s a potential that over the next few days some parts of Wales, northwest England and western Scotland could see some impacts.”
