An amber weather warning for heavy rain has come into force across parts of central England, with forecasters warning that some areas could see more than a month’s worth of rain in a single day.
The Met Office alert, in effect from 5am until 9pm on Monday, covers a stretch from Herefordshire and Gloucestershire up to the Wash and the Humber, including major cities such as Birmingham, Nottingham and Hull.
Meteorologists predict that affected regions could experience between 100 to 120mm of rainfall, potentially leading to significant flooding and travel disruption.
A broader yellow rain warning covers much of England and Wales, extending from midnight until the end of Monday. The Met Office has cautioned that some areas could see flooding as a result of the heavy downpours.
Vehicles were left stranded in Aldridge Road in Perry Bar, Birmingham
PA
This comes after a wet weekend marked the official end of summer, with the autumn equinox occurring on Sunday afternoon. Overnight, London and the Home Counties were particularly affected, with parts of the Chilterns receiving about a month’s worth of rain in just four hours.
The Environment Agency has issued 13 flood warnings across England, including areas such as Atherstone in Warwickshire, Leighton Buzzard and Luton in Bedfordshire, and parts of London.
Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said: “This area in particular, during Monday, we could see over a month’s worth of rain falling, and with the rain we’ve already seen over the last couple of days this certainly has the potential to bring some disruption and flooding in locations.”
Flood duty manager at the Environment Agency Sarah Cook added: “We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.”
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Vehicles stranded in flood water on Aldridge Road in Perry Bar, Birmingham
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Heavy rain at Boulters Lock, Maidenhead Riverside, Berkshire
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An amber weather alert is in place
Met Office
Police have confirmed a number of road closures across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire following “substantial flooding” overnight.
Heavy rainfall on Sunday into Monday has seen areas such as Dunstable and Hitchin partially submerged.
Bedfordshire Police said it had closed off part of Dunstable High Street due to “substantial flooding”, with footage shared on social media showing cars battling high water around the Saracen’s Head pub.
Central Bedfordshire Council said flooding had also hit Flitwick, Cranfield and Marston Moretaine. North Hertfordshire Police have also advised motorists to avoid some parts of Hitchin, including Walsworth Road near the town centre.
Flooding in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, near Lansdown Road
PA
Temperatures are expected to drop below average for the time of year, with parts of Scotland seeing lows in the early teens by Monday and Tuesday. This cooler air is set to spread across the country as the week progresses.
Another spell of rain is forecast to cross England and Wales on Wednesday, followed by chillier Arctic air moving southwards. By Friday, daytime temperatures could peak at just 13C.