UK weather: Brits to face rain and flood chaos with warning for downpours for two days

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Flooding this morning on several Essex roads after heavy rain overnight and thawing snow 19.12.22 (c) Picture; Scott Huntley/HVC 07973 208461...16 CM3 4RP

RAIN-soaked Brits must endure two more days of downpours before the wet weather finally clears.

Torrential lashings will drench much of the UK today and tomorrow, sparking fresh flood fears.

Flooding on a road in Essex after heavy rain and thawing snow

Emergency services on a flooded road in North London


People cross London Bridge during heavy rainfall


The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for rain

A band of “persistent” rain threatens to raise water levels, which could flow into homes and businesses.

Nine flood warnings and 43 alerts are in force across England, with a further seven in Wales.

These cover much of the southern and western coasts, where some properties are at risk of submersion.

The Met Office has also issued two yellow warnings for rain for much of the same area across southwestern and southeastern England and the south of Wales until at least 6am on Tuesday.

More than five inches could fall in just a few hours, particularly over higher ground in Dartmoor.

Forecasters say the damp conditions could spark severe disruption on Britain’s roads, railways and runways.

Spray and flooding will make journey times longer, and power supplies may be disrupted.

Brits are urged to regularly check for updates to see how their area might be affected.

Thankfully, the heavy rain and flooding will finally come to an end later in the week.

After days of bitter cold, torrential downpours, yellow weather warnings and travel chaos, Brits are in for a much-needed warm and dry spell on Wednesday, with temperatures in the teens.

There will, however, be strong winds and “severe gales” – and the big thaw has the potential to trigger flooding from burst pipes.

These are already causing headaches around the UK, with residents in Winnersh, Berkshire, waking to find floodwater at their doorsteps following a huge water mains burst on Sunday morning.

Several reports of burst pipes were also made to utilities firm Welsh Water because of a “rapid thaw”, the Telegraph reports.

And Shropshire fire department attended eight call-outs for flooding caused by burst pipes in just 24 hours.

The imminent mild conditions are set to stick around until the end of the week following a raft of freezing temperatures and snowfall.

The mercury is expected to jump by 15C today as the cold snap is replaced with warmer air coming in from the Atlantic, and it will hover in the low teens until Friday.

Daytime maximum temperatures across the UK on Monday will range from 11C to 14C – in stark contrast to the sub-zero temperatures recorded over the last week.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: “We’re looking at across the UK highs of 11C to 14C, so around about 15C certainly higher than they’ve been.”

Mr Petagna added that it is not unheard of to get temperatures in the low teens at this time of year, but said the contrast of going from very cold to very mild in a day or two is quite unusual.


Surface water causing hold-ups on the A27 in Sussex


Belsize Road in London’s Camden after a burst water main flooded the street


A car makes a splash in Essex amid flood warnings