Heavy wind and rain ensures a wild start to 2014
It may be a brand new year but, from a weather point of view, sadly it is business as usual.
The last few weeks have seen seemingly endless Atlantic pressure systems sweeping associated rain bearing frontal systems across the UK. That rain is falling on already saturated ground.
The arrival last night of yet another band of heavy rain has further added to the pressure on our river levels and, while the bulk of the heavy rain will clear through by mid-morning, this latest system brings, once again, very strong winds.
Gusting up to 80mph across particularly southern and western areas, these winds push the water towards the coast. That, in turn, will combine with high spring tides to create extremely high sea levels.
As well as putting pressure on our coastal flood defences, these high sea levels are, in effect, blocking the flow of river water from the land – effectively inhibiting the large volumes of rain water from draining away through the rivers into the sea. The risk of flooding is extending, therefore, all the way up to southwest Scotland.
With further Atlantic pressure systems lining up to the west of us, it seems there is no real respite in sight for these most vulnerable areas in the immediacy.
There are 20 severe flood warnings now in force, nearly 200 flood warnings and over 200 other flood alerts.
Outlook for the rest of today:
It was another wet and windy night for many last night but, while the bulk of the rain has now cleared through, the winds today will continue to freshen as the associated deep area of low pressure closes in on western Scotland, giving gusts of wind across the UK of potentially 80mph. Severe gales are expected over the exposed western hills and coasts.
Even away from the worst hit areas it is a windy end to the week for many with bright or sunny spells along with heavy, blustery showers or perhaps longer spells of rain (turning wintry across the higher ground of Scotland). The strongest of the winds should tend to ease away through the latter part of today and into this evening.
Outlook for the weekend:
The winds will be lighter on Saturday but there remains the risk of further showers - or longer spells of rain across southeast England, although it will become drier and brighter for most of us into the afternoon.
It is but the briefest of respites, however, as we brace ourselves for another significant storm spreading heavy rain and strong winds in from the southwest throughout Sunday and leaving a legacy of wet and windy weather for the start of the new week.
Call the Floodline on 0845 988 1188 or log onto the Environment Agency website for the very latest where you area.