UK weather: Amber warnings in place as heavy rain prompts ‘treacherous’ conditions
Forecasters have warned of “treacherous” conditions in parts of the country amid intense rainfall and flooding.
Surface water flooding could cause problems for motorists during Thursday morning’s rush hour, the Met Office said, while there was a “small chance” some communities could become cut off.
Torrential rain saw flooding hit parts of the Midlands on late Wednesday night, with some properties and roads inundated.
A number of people needed rescuing from cars caught in floodwater in Nottingham and Warwickshire as the inclement weather moved across the country.
Weather warnings are in place for parts of Scotland, north Wales and the north-east and north-west of England.
The Met Office tweeted: “Amber and yellow warnings are in force for Thursday morning, so conditions on the roads will be treacherous for some with surface water flooding and intense rainfall.”
The Met Office said Chillingham in Northumberland saw nearly 1cm of rainfall in the space of an hour on Thursday morning.
The village had seen 73mm of rainfall over a 28-hour period – more than the 66.4mm average for the whole of June.
Elsewhere, Waddington in Lincolnshire saw nearly 40mm fall over a period of 14 hours, while over the same period Coleshill in Warwickshire saw 30mm fall and 31mm was seen at Astwood Bank in Worcestershire.
More than 90 flood warnings and alerts were in place across England.
Nottingham City Transport said many roads had been affected by standing water and floods while the Environment Agency said a number of people had to be rescued in the city after getting stuck driving through flood water.
Operations manager Kelly Golds tweeted: “So far tonight in #Nottingham 18 people have had to be rescued by emergency services after getting stuck driving through flood water. Just 30cm of fast flowing water is enough to move your car. #floodaware”
Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) said it was advising residents in the village of Lambley to stay indoors due to floodwater.
Newark MP Robert Jenrick also said properties had been flooded in the village of Lowdham and Southwell.
And Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service said three people had to be rescued from a car stuck in a ford in a village near Sutton Coldfield late on Wednesday night.
Elsewhere, Environment Agency officials put up flood barriers in Northwich amid concerns over the level of the River Weaver.
Rail users were hit by cancellations and delays on Wednesday as torrential rain struck England, Scotland and Wales.
Met Office meteorologist Luke Miall warned that the wet weather would continue to blight parts of the country on Thursday.
He said: “As this system pushes up from the South East through the course of the night, it will re-intensify and continue through much of Thursday.”
Mr Miall said parts of south-east Scotland could see up to 100mm of rain, with an amber alert in place warning of heavy downpours.
According to the Met Office, the wettest ever June for the UK as a whole was in 2012 when an average of 149mm of rain fell.
Mr Miall said this month’s rainfall so far was “still a long way off” breaking that record.
He explained that following a dry summer and winter river levels across the country were low, meaning much of the current flooding was surface water flooding that could potentially retreat quickly.
But by the end of Thursday, flooding would increasingly be the consequence of cumulative rainfall, he added.
There are currently no Met Office weather warnings in place for Friday and the weekend, with conditions forecast to be calmer.
The weather is expected to be drier, warmer and sunnier, but with the risk of heavy and thundery showers in some places.