The UK is braced for a severe battering from Storm Claudia today, with the Met Office issuing a series of serious weather warnings forecasting torrential rain, significant flooding, and widespread disruption.
Amber Warnings and Flooding Threats
An amber weather warning is in force from midday until midnight on Friday, covering a vast swathe of the country. The Met Office predicts that Wales could see between 50mm and 75mm of rain, while other regions including the East Midlands, eastern England, London, the Southeast, Northwest, Southwest, and the West Midlands are expected to receive 40mm to 60mm.
Accompanying these severe weather alerts are more than 50 flood warnings and alerts. The Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have flagged 20 flood warnings, indicating that flooding is expected, and 33 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible.
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert stated: "Storm Claudia will bring very heavy rainfall to a large swathe of central and southern England and Wales on Friday into Saturday. Some areas could see up to a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours."
Widespread Impacts and Disruption
Within the amber warning zones, some locations could witness a staggering 150mm of rain accumulating, with 60-80mm falling quite widely. The Met Office has cautioned that this, combined with already saturated ground, dramatically increases the risk of flooding.
The public is warned that fast-flowing or deep floodwater is likely and could pose a genuine danger to life. The expected impacts include flooding of homes and businesses, significant travel disruption, and potential power cuts. These conditions may be worsened by strong easterly winds and possible thunderstorms on Friday afternoon.
In the northwest of England and northwest Wales, gusty winds present an additional hazard, with gusts of 60-70mph possible in exposed coastal areas.
Further Warnings and Official Advice
A separate 24-hour yellow weather warning for rain began at 6am on Friday for southern parts of the UK. Another yellow warning was in place until 7pm on Thursday for central Scotland, Tayside and Fife, northeast England, northwest England, and southwest Scotland, where 15-25mm of rain was expected, potentially rising to 40-60mm in southern Scotland.
Alun Attwood from Natural Resources Wales urged vigilance, saying: "We’re urging people to be vigilant and to make preparations for potential flooding now. You can check if you live in an area at risk of flooding on our website and sign up for our free flood warning service." He also highlighted that warnings are not provided for surface water flooding, so knowing your local risk is crucial.
The unsettled conditions are set to continue over the weekend. The forecast for Saturday to Monday suggests rather cloudy and damp weather across southern and central areas, with colder, clearer conditions from the north spreading southwards during Sunday, leading to a cold and bright day for many on Monday.
