UK weather: More flood warnings ahead of colder spellon January 14, 2023 at 3:45 pm

People across the UK are being urged to prepare for more rain, flooding and cold weather in the coming days.

The Environment Agency has issued 103 flood warnings– mainly in west and south-west England – and 174 flood alerts.

The bad weather has already damaged hundreds of homes and left many without power.

An alert for severe cold weather has also been issued for England from Sunday evening, as temperatures drop.

It will remain in place across much of the UK until Thursday morning, with the warning the cold could increase health risks for vulnerable people and disrupt some services.

Yellow Met Office warnings for rain, wind and ice are in place across parts of northern England, Northern Ireland, and most of Scotland.

BBC Weather’s Matt Taylor said while the persistent rain would ease away on Saturday, the weather was going to turn “much colder” in the days ahead.

Devon has been one of the areas already hit by flooding, including near Tiverton, where several roads were flooded after the River Exe burst its banks. Some properties were left cut off.

Darren Ninnis, manager of the Anchor Inn in Exebridge, Devon, was stuck as water rose inside and outside his pub on Thursday.

“[It’s] loss of business, as always, and just more work and hassle. With more rain forecast, we’re just worried next week we’ll do the same again,” Mr Ninnis told the BBC.

Flooding also caused a partial closure on the railway line between Totnes and Plymouth – although services were reportedly “returning to normal” on Friday afternoon – while near Withypool in Somerset a section of an ancient footbridge over the River Barle washed away after heavy rain.

The bad weather has also caused travel disruption across much of Wales. A golf driving range near Cowbridge, west of Cardiff, flooded after the River Ely burst its banks.

“If we had more rain… I think we’d have been underwater,” manager and pro golfer Aled Griffiths told BBC Radio Wales.

The Environment Agency’s flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – include those for groundwater flooding, along with areas close to rivers like the Avon, Severn and Wye.

In the West Midlands, which has already been hit by flooding, people are braced for peak river levels.

Some flood alerts – meaning flooding is possible – are also in place further north, including in Keswick in the Lake District and areas of Yorkshire.

Natural Resources Wales has issued dozens of flood alerts around Wales, and nine flood warnings concentrated in the south.

There are also two flood warnings in place in Scotland for Callender and Ayr to Troon.

Forecasters are warning that bus and train services will probably be affected, while spray and flooding on roads is set to make journey times longer.

The Met Office warned there was a 70% chance of severely cold weather, icy conditions and heavy snow from 18:00 GMT Sunday until 09:00 Thursday.

The Met Office’s Helen Caughey said: “After a spell of wet and mild weather to start 2023, a brief cold spell will change the feel of our weather across the UK for a few days next week.”

She said it will “certainly feel cold in all regions too, with the northerly winds creating a notable wind chill” – although the colder spell is expected to be short-lived.

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