New heavy rain warning as Anglia region gets June soaking

More storm clouds are gathering with a new Met Office weather warning for heavy rain on Tuesday evening into Wednesday. Credit: Chris Mitchell

The Met Office has issued a further wet weather warning with thunderstorms as the Anglia region suffered five times the normal rainfall last week.

The weather forecaster says thunderstorms may develop bringing torrential rain, hail and lightning to a few places later on Tuesday into Wednesday, with potential disruption to travel and flooding.

Up to 50 mm (2 inches) of rain could fall in places with the added risk of hail, lightning and gusty winds.

Last week in the Anglia region, more than a month's rain fell in less than seven days with record rainfall in places like Holbeach in south Lincolnshire

The yellow weather warning is in force from 6pm on Tuesday 18 June until 9pm on Wednesday 19 June 2019

The whole Anglia region is covered by the yellow weather warning for heavy rain and thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday. Credit: Met Office

What to expect

  • There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds

  • Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services

  • Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures

  • There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost

Sunset at St Ives in Cambridgeshire on Saturday 15 June 2019. Credit: Martin Casey

Even before June reached its half-way point, Holbeach close to The Wash in south Lincolnshire had recorded more June rainfall since records began there in 1989.

The rain total in Holbeach on 12 June reached 137 mm (5.4 inches) beating the previous record for entire month was 135.8 mm (5.3 inches) set in 2007.

The rainfall total in Holbeach to 10am on Sunday 16 June is 153.8 mm (6.1 inches). That is nearly three times the June average for Holbeach, which is 53 mm (2.1 inches).

There was five times the normal rainfall across the Anglia region in the week to 13 June with 65.5 mm (2.6 inches).

An average June in the Anglia region records 54 mm of rain (2.1 inches). The rainfall total in the region to 10am on Sunday was 73 mm (2.9 inches).

The wettest June on record according to Met Office data for East Anglia dating from 1910 was in 1997 with 129.5 mm (5.1 inches).