Kent weather warning for heavy rain extended as thundery showers loom
Met Office forecasters have extended their yellow weather warning for rain, bringing the alert forward by several hours. Announced yesterday morning (September 25), the warning was due to come into effect from 5pm this evening, remaining in place for 17 hours until 10am on Friday morning.
As heavy showers and thunderstorms are now expected throughout Thursday, the start time has been brought forward and the warning came into effect at 6am this morning. Blanketing the entirety of Kent, the weather alert will remain now for a total of 27-hours, ending at 9am tomorrow morning.
A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “10-15 mm of rain could occur within an hour from the heavy showers during today with a few places possibly seeing 30 mm over a few hours. There still remains some uncertainty in the details for Thursday evening and overnight, but some locations may see up to 20-30 mm of rain in 2-3 hours and perhaps 40-60 mm in 3-6 hours.”
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Following on from what has already been a very wet week across Kent, with numerous flood warnings issued in recent days, river levels are again expected to rise where heavy showers do occur. Current forecasts expect downpours and thundery showers beginning along the southern coastline during the day, before developing across most of the south east region by the early afternoon.
Weather maps show scattered outbreaks of heavy rain developing over Kent from 1pm onwards, turning particularly heavy toward Medway, Maidstone, Dartford, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge during this time. Showers will continue to sweep across the county for much of the afternoon before easing during the early afternoon.
These maps indicate that patchy rain will persist overnight for much of the county, turning heaviest along the coast in areas such as Dover and Folkestone. By 9am on Friday morning, lighter rain will cover much of Kent, reaching up to 16mm an hour in some areas.
The Met Office anticipates a drier day from here in the south east as temperatures sit in the mid teens, peaking at 15C. This clearer spell is likely to continue for much of the weekend, however there is a chance for the odd shower before heavier rains arrive on Sunday evening and into the new week.
While the weather warning is in effect, forecasters have warned the public that spray and flooding on roads may lead to difficult driving conditions. Heavy rain may also cause disruption to public transport services, including train and bus services.
There is a slight chance for some power cuts and loss of other services to homes and businesses amid the stormy weather. Flooded roads could lead to some communities being cut off, while there is a small chance of deep or fast flowing flood waters posing a danger to life.
Safety advice
During spells of heavy rain, the public is advised to check if their property is at risk of flooding and, if it is, prepare a flood plan and an emergency flood kit. Advice for staying safe during flooding includes charging mobile devices, parking vehicles outside flood zones, storing valuables up high such as electrical equipment and important documents as well as turning off gas, water and electrical supplies.
It is safer not to drive during heavy rainfall, but if you must, you can drive safely by slowing down, keeping to main roads, using dipped headlights, giving yourself more time to react on slippery surfaces and keeping a bigger gap between vehicles. It is not safe to drive, walk or swim through flood water so avoid it where possible and if you are affected by fast flowing or deep water call 999 and wait for assistance.
Help to protect the vulnerable people that you know, including older people, those with underlying conditions and those who live alone: they may need support with food and medical supplies. If you are worried about your health or that of somebody you know, ring NHS 111. Further advice can be found on the Met Office website here.
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