A major incident was declared in Monmouth, Wales, after Storm Claudia caused severe flooding when the River Monnow burst its banks. Emergency services rescued dozens of people from their homes and carried out evacuations in the town and surrounding communities.
Rainfall of 119.6mm was recorded at a Natural Resources Wales rain gauge at Tafalog in Gwent over 12 hours to 6am on Saturday, while 80.6mm fell at Suckley in Worcestershire. The storm also brought strong winds, with gusts of 63mph recorded at Aberdaron in Gwynedd and 68mph at Warcop Range in Cumbria.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service area manager Matt Jones described the incident as large-scale, with crews working alongside police, ambulance, mountain rescue, and coastguard teams. He urged the public to avoid Monmouth and said conditions remained challenging due to fast-moving water and blocked roads.
In England, the Environment Agency reported 20 properties flooded, including some in Cumbria. The UK Health Security Agency issued a cold weather warning for parts of the Midlands and northern England from Monday, with disruption expected until Saturday. National Rail advised travellers to check before travelling.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Holley said Storm Claudia's retreat would allow a cold northerly flow from the Arctic, bringing widespread frosts and potential snow. Temperatures could drop to -7C next week, with daytime highs in single figures and a marked wind chill.
