Met Office warns THREE INCHES of rain set to fall in just 24 hours
Roads turn into rivers as dozens of motorists are left stranded in floodwater while there is chaos on trains and the Tube with THREE INCHES of rain set to fall in just 24 hours and 27 flood warnings and 104 alerts in place
- The Met Office says some parts of Britain could see almost four inches of rainfall in the space of 24 hours
- Flood warnings and alerts have been issued across England by the Environment Agency after the downpours
- Motorists are being warned to stay off the roads today as the ‘miserable conditions’ are set to continue
- Around 20 cars were stranded in floodwater on the A27 in West Sussex last night after torrential downpour
Motorists have been warned to stay off the roads today after forecasters predicted downpours could dump more than three inches of rain in just 24 hours, causing chaos on the roads.
The Met Office has warned that some parts of the country could see almost four inches of rain, as a month’s worth of rain falls in the space of three days.
The service has put in place two warnings for heavy rain which are in force across large part of the midlands and the north, as well as eastern Scotland, while the Environment Agency has issued 27 flood warnings and 104 alerts in England.
There was also severe disruption on the trains in and around London this morning, with trains from Essex into the capital delayed after reports a lorry hit a railway crossing barrier, while a broken down train in Kent caused long waits for commuters trying to get into work.
Part of the Piccadilly Line between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge has no service this morning, with Transport for London blaming ‘significant leaf fall’, while the M23 southbound was closed between J10 and J11 as workers tried to remove standing water.
Last night heavy rain left dozens of drivers stranded after part of the A27 in West Sussex turned into a river as the carriageway flooded, a scene that could be repeated elsewhere in Britain today.
Emergency services spent the night trying to free those trapped in the horrendous conditions, as well as removing vehicles stuck in the rising water. As of this morning the road’s eastbound carriageway remains closed.
Forecasters have predicted Britain will suffer ‘miserable conditions’ over the next two days as a weather front sees strong winds and bands of persistent rain across the country.
A driver reverses their Toyota Hilux pick-up truck after attempting to go past a van abandoned in floodwater in Shermanbury, West Sussex, this morning
A cyclist jumps the barrier at Tower Bridge after getting caught in floodwater during Rush Hour this morning after heavy rainfall
A lorry moves through standing water in a country lane in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, this morning. Some areas of southern England saw more than two inches of rain yesterday
Motorists struggle through deep surface water on Tower Bridge this morning after torrential rainfall over the course of the last couple of days
Forecasters are predicting more than three inches of rain could fall in the space of just 24 hours, turning roads across the country into rivers. A cyclist rides through standing water on Tower Bridge
The ‘miserable conditions’ are set to stay in place for the next couple of days, with some parts of the country set to get as much as four inches of rain
Members of the public stand in the rain this morning in Greenwich as they wait for the train during their Thursday morning commute to work
Cars were spotted driving through heavy floodwater as half an inch of rain fell across Britain
Around 20 cars were stuck in both directions of the A27 in West Sussex between Fishbourne and Havant, as firefighters worked to free occupants
The Environment Agency has issued dozens of flood warnings and more than 100 flood alerts across England this morning
Conditions may be ‘atrocious’ for much of the UK, while the Scottish highlands could see some snow, the forecaster said as it put out a yellow warning for rain.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency had issued 27 flood warnings and 104 alerts in England. These are mainly centred on the south coast, with warnings in Dorset, Hampshire, East and West Sussex, Kent and Surrey. There is also two warnings for the North Sea in North Yorkshire.
People in areas covered by the warnings are being told to expect flooding on some roads and low-lying areas, and have been urged to avoid trying to travel through the floodwater.
The M23 in West Sussex was closed last night in both directions between J10 at Crawley and J11 at Pease Pottage due to flooding, with only the northbound carriageway reopened by Rush Hour this morning.
There has been disruption already this morning for commuters trying to get to work in the east of England and London, after a lorry hit a railway crossing in Hertfordshire causing delays of people trying to get into the capital.
In a statement rail operator Greater Anglia said: ‘Due to a road vehicle hitting level crossing barriers between Cheshunt and Broxbourne trains have to run at reduced speed on all lines.
‘Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 40 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until further notice.
‘Owing to a road vehicle hitting and damaging level crossing barriers between Cheshunt and Broxbourne train services are subject to severe delays, alterations and cancellations.
‘Police are on site, Network Rail staff are on site and will have the problem resolved as soon as possible
‘Greater Anglia and Network Rail are sorry if your journey has been affected by this disruption.’
Flooding has also blocked the railway line between Lewes and Brighton, in East Sussex, causing cancellations on the line towards Haywards Heath late last night that have continued into this morning.
The water covered the track in Plumpton, forcing passengers to disembark at the rural station shortly before midnight and find alternative travel arrangements.
Traffic queuing on the M23 this morning after flooding caused the closure of the southbound carriageway between J10 and J11
The Met Office has put a yellow weather warning in place for rain across large parts of central and northern England, as well as eastern Scotland
A car is one of around 20 that lay stranded on the A27 in west Sussex after heavy rainfall last night
The Met Office has a yellow weather warning in place for all of today for large parts of England, and is warning more than three inches of rain will fall in some areas, while a second warning covering parts of today and tomorrow is in place in Scotland.
This covers an area stretching from Birmingham, Lincoln and Hull to north Wales, Liverpool and Manchester, as well as the east coast up to the Scottish border.
On its website, the Met Office explains the warning, saying: ‘Outbreaks of rain, heavy at times, will move northwards across the Midlands, north Wales and northern England during Wednesday night, persisting through much of Thursday.
’30 to 40 mm rain is likely to fall quite widely over a 24-hour period, with a small chance over 60 mm in a few places and perhaps as much as 80 mm over higher ground.
‘This brings a chance of flooding and disruption. The rain is expected to become less widespread and more intermittent during Thursday night.
The second warning will come into force at 3pm today until 6pm on Friday for the east coast of Scotland, stretching from the English border up past Aberdeen with similar risks of flooding, and transport disruptions.
Speaking yesterday Met Office spokesperson Craig Snell said: ‘The warning areas are where we are most concerned about the risk of flooding but it doesn’t mean that the areas outside them are not going to see some pretty atrocious conditions.’
Mr Snell said a warning had been issued for the southeast of England because ‘it has been quite wet there since the beginning of November with many places already seeing more than their month’s share of rain’.
The midlands and the north of England will have a ‘pretty miserable day’ on Thursday after the rain sweeps in overnight, Mr Snell said.
‘The rain will be accompanied by a brisk wind so it’s not going to feel good.’
But he added that Scotland could see ‘two days of persistent rain’ and this may result in snow falling in the highlands – although this is not unusual for November.
‘If you want to take a walk in the hills in Scotland tomorrow you may come across snow but for the lower levels it is just going to be rain,’ he said.
Metal railings were twisted out of shape after floodwaters burst a river bank in West Sussex
West Sussex Fire and Rescue posted on Twitter: ‘A27 CLOSED both ways from Fishbourne, Chichester to Havant Around 20 cars stuck in flood water’
Floodwater caused a sewer to be overwhelmed on this street in West Sussex
A car was left stranded in floodwater after a riverbank burst in West Sussex due to heavy showers
RAC breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis warned motorists to ‘exercise great care’ during the wet weather.
‘The chances of being involved in a collision rise dramatically in wet weather, and even more so if there’s snow, so it’s vital drivers slow down, leave plenty of space behind the vehicle in front and use their lights to make sure they’re easily seen by other road users,’ he said.
‘The risk of aquaplaning where a vehicle’s wheels lose contact with the road as they skim across standing water will be high, particularly for those who don’t slow down to appropriate speeds for the conditions.’
Last night the A27 was closed in both directions between Emsworth and Chichester yesterday evening as West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service worked to free waterlogged vehicles.
The service posted on Twitter: ‘A27 CLOSED both ways from Fishbourne, Chichester to Havant Around 20 cars stuck in flood water.
‘We are extremely busy dealing with multiple flood-related incidents, including rescuing people from cars and flooding in buildings.’
And motorists were being warned by travel service Romanse of ‘heavy delays’ around the A27 and A3M near Havant, Hampshire, because of flooding caused by the rain.
Police in Winchester, Hampshire, have also advised of a large tree coming down and blocking a road in Swanmore.
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