UK weather: Flooding warnings in place across Englandon December 5, 2023 at 2:36 pm

Flood warnings are in place across England as snow gave way to heavy rain.

Forty-two flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, are in force, mainly across Dorset, Somerset and the Midlands.

The flooding has affected rail services already hit by industrial action.

The RAC is also warning drivers to expect icy conditions on Wednesday, saying it expects to see a rise in breakdowns as older and faulty vehicles “fail in the cold weather”.

A total of 175 flood alerts, where flooding is considered possible, have also been issued across England.

CrossCountry Trains said heavy flooding was blocking lines between Edinburgh Waverley and Newcastle, with the strike action adding to disruption.

Members of train drivers’ union Aslef at C2C and Greater Anglia have walked out as part of a series of rolling strikes affecting different companies on different days until 8 December. There is also an overtime ban lasting until 9 December.

James Davis, from GWR, confirmed they still have flooding on the line between Taunton and Westbury, but that the line has now reopened between Taunton and Bristol.

Flood warnings are in place along many rivers, including the Frome in Somerset, Avon and Axe, River Brit in West Dorset, and River Blythe in Warwickshire.

In Somerset, several secondary schools opened late on Tuesday and at least four primaries were closed due to flooding.

Councillor Mike Rigby, the council’s lead member for transport, told the BBC the authority was called out to more than 245 incidents on Monday – a higher number than during Storm Ciarán last month despite less rain this week.

Firefighters in Buttsbury Wash near Billericay rescued a driver from her car earlier after she became stranded in flood water.

While in Warwickshire, flooding is expected along the River Swift in Rugby, and homes could be hit on two roads near the River Alne in the villages of Aston Cantlow and Great Alne.

A number of roads in Dorset were closed due to flood waters on Monday, including the A35, the main route through the county.

The Met Office said rain would ease across England and Wales throughout Tuesday, but another cold day would see wintry showers in the North and North West.

A yellow rain warning will return for South West England on Thursday, forecast to last until 15:00.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said the risk of snow was lessening and would “more or less be confined to Scottish mountains” by the end of the week.

A yellow warning of ice is in place for Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, South West Scotland and Lothian Borders from 15:00 today to 11:00 on Wednesday.

But snow is continuing to make life difficult in Cumbria, as the heavy snowfall that hit the county over the weekend thaws.

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