All of Kent issued 14-hour heavy rain weather warning as travel disruption expected

Sam Honey
·2-min read
The yellow weather warning will come into effect at 10pm on Tuesday, November 26
-Credit: (Image: Met Office)


Met Office forecasters have announced a new 14-hour yellow weather warning for heavy rain across all of Kent. Set to come into effect from 10pm on Tuesday night (November 26), the alert blankets the entire county and will remain in place until 12pm on Wednesday.

While forecasts anticipate primarily fine and dry conditions across the south east region for much of the day on Tuesday, cloud and rain outbreaks are expected throughout the evening. Current weather maps show showers sweeping over Kent from around 11pm, beginning in the west over areas such as Tunbridge Wells, moving easterly to cover most of the county by midnight.

The heaviest showers are anticipated in Kent from 2am as much of the county can then expect between 8mm-16mm/hour of rain throughout the night. Downpours will continue into the morning and could potentially turn heavier towards midday, with areas including Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford and Dover forecast to see spells of 16-32mm/hour rain between 9am and 12pm.

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The Met Office has stated: “Much of the warning area will see 15-20 mm of rain with 30-40 mm in some areas. There is a lower chance of 50 mm of rain in a few places, more likely for the Isle of Wight, Sussex and Kent, before rain eases and clears by early afternoon."

The yellow weather warning advises that public transport services, including buses and trains, may see disruption and delays as a result of the adverse weather. Meanwhile, spray and flooding on roads could lead to difficult driving conditions and cause journeys to take longer.

Flooding of a few homes and businesses may also occur, particularly in areas prone to flooding, such as those along rivers. The public is urged to check if their property is at risk of flooding, and if so, prepare a flood plan and an emergency kit.

If travelling, be sure to check driving conditions or bus and train timetable updates in order to best prepare for any disruption. The heavy showers may also cause power cuts and interruptions to other services, forecasters have advised.

Persistent showers are expected across Kent on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Pictured: Met Office rain forecast for 3.45am on Wednesday, November 27)
Persistent showers are expected across Kent on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Pictured: Met Office rain forecast for 3.45am on Wednesday, November 27) -Credit:Met Office

Preparing for the event of a power cut is recommended, with torches, batteries and phone power packs among the most useful items to have on hand. Forecasts anticipate that showers will begin to clear in the south east from the early afternoon on Wednesday, leaving dry and clear conditions for the remainder of the day before frost develops overnight.

The rest of the week will see a continuation of these fine and dry conditions, with sunny spells breaking out over the weekend. Temperatures will keep to their normal levels for this time of year, peaking at around 13C on Saturday and Sunday.

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