Met Office upgrades Lancashire weather warning to amber as torrential rain hits

An amber weather warning has been issued for large parts of Lancashire as torrential rain batters the region.

The Met Office alert has been upgraded from the previous yellow weather warning as forecasters warn that rain will become 'heavy and persistent' later this afternoon and tomorrow, with 'flooding and disruption likely'. The amber warning covers Chorley, Leyland, South Ribble, West Lancashire, Blackburn and Darwen, Hyndburn, Rossendale, Pendle and the Ribble Valley.

It comes into effect at 12pm today (May 22) and lasts until 12pm on Thursday (May 23). Up to 90mm of rain could fall in higher areas while most places within the warning will see 30-40mm of rain.

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The warning states: "Rain becoming heavy and persistent during Wednesday afternoon before easing during Thursday morning. The heaviest rain is expected over north facing hills and where strong winds will enhance rainfall accumulations."

The Met Office warned that spray and flooding will 'probably leading to difficult driving conditions and some road closures' while fast flowing or deep floodwater 'is likely, causing danger to life'. Forecasters said there is a 'good chance some communities will be cut off by flooded roads' and that 'power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses like'.

A yellow warning for rain is also in place for the whole of Lancashire and the rest of the North West until 6am on Thursday.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: "Some areas are really going to see a lot of heavy, persistent rain through a big chunk of Wednesday. It is going to be a pretty wet picture as we go through the rest of the week for many places.

"There is some uncertainty as to exactly where we are going to see the heaviest rain and where is most likely to be impacted."

The forecast says heavy and, in places, prolonged rainfall is expected from an area of low pressure arriving from the east, which has brought downpours to parts of central Europe.

A Met Office spokeswoman said: "The precise track of the low pressure which would determine where the rainfall comes is still uncertain and is something we are keeping an eye on. We would encourage people to keep an eye on the forecast over the next couple of days to see how that evolves."

Chief meteorologist Andy Page said areas exposed to the strengthening northerly winds are most likely to see the highest rainfall.

Northern areas are expected to remain cloudy and wet on Thursday but drier further south with brighter conditions becoming more widespread by the end of the week. Bank Holiday Monday is expected to be dry and fine for much of the country, feeling warm in the sunshine, although there remains the threat of showers ahead of more settled conditions.