Flood Fears: One Month's Rainfall In Two Days

A severe flood warning has been as forecasters say up a month's rain could fall in 24 hours.

The Environment Agency has urged communities the north and east of England, the Midlands and much of Wales to be prepared flooding as two bands of very rain were set to cross the UK today and Saturday.

The Met Office has issued amber weather warning - the second highest, and meaning " prepared".

Up to 100mm of rain could fall in 36 hours the downpours. The average UK rainfall July is 69.9mm.

Yorkshire, the North East, the Midlands and East Anglia are likely to the brunt of the severe weather later today, the Environment Agency said.

The risk of flooding expected to be the highest of the year, properties and transport in some parts of the country likely to hit, the agency said.

Craig Woolhouse, head of flood incident management the Environment Agency, said: "We are expecting very significant flooding in the days across large parts of the country and would strongly urge people to sign to flood warnings, keep a eye on the forecasts their area and be prepared for flooding.

"We would also ask people stay safe, by keeping of dangerous floodwater and not attempting to walk or drive it.

"The Environment Agency has opened incident rooms and has teams out on the checking on flood defences and clearing any blockages in to reduce the risk of flooding as much as ."

Tony Waters, deputy chief forecaster at Met Office, said: "We are expecting of very heavy and thundery rain across a wide area of the UK in the next days, with worst affected spots likely be in central and northern parts of the country.

"Rainfall totals could be 20-40mm widely warning areas, but some places could see around 100mm of rain through today and tomorrow.

"Given the saturated ground the record rainfall in June, this could cause significant disruption - difficult driving conditions and flooding in some areas."

Sky News presenter Isobel Lang said: "Our weather is showing signs of settling down despite already enduring a record-breaking wet April and June.

"After Thursday's showers and thunderstorms across eastern and northern Britain, Friday will see prolonged and rainfall spreading up across East Anglia, the Midlands, Wales and southern Ireland.

"Atrocious driving conditions are expected with some flooding.

"Saturday will bring more wet weather, this time mainly across north east England and southern and eastern Scotland again bringing flood risk.

"Showers on Sunday could be heavy southern Britain."

The wet weather already caused delays some of this year's big summer sporting fixtures, including Wimbledon and England Test matches.

Last month the wettest June since records began, with double average rain falling during the month.

The exceptional amount of rain caused floods in Wales and parts England.

It was second month this year to see record-breaking amounts of rain, April also the wettest, according to records dating more than a century to 1910.

So this summer there has been one spell of prolonged fine weather during the second of May.

The wet weather is set continue for two weeks, but it it's not all bad news - sunshine and warmer weather could arrive this month, in time the Olympic Games.


Adapted from: Sky News, July 6, 2012.