UK weather live: Met Office issue new rain warning for this week after flooding from month’s rain in 24 hours

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Thursday, as heavy rain is set to hit the north-east of England and cause potential flooding and travel disruption.

Flood warnings continue across parts of the UK, after extreme rainfall on Sunday and Monday caused roads and schools to close and wreaked transport chaos on commuters.

The autumn equinox coincided with heavy downpours, with the Environment Agency issuing 32 warnings and 94 flood alerts.

An amber and yellow weather warning remained in place across most of England and Wales until the end of Monday, with several schools up and down the country still closed on Tuesday.

The A421 in Bedfordshire is closed in both directions between A6 and M1 J13 due to flooding. Also, the A505 in Hitchin, Elton Way in Watford and the A404 between Chorleywood and Rickmansworth were all shut on Monday morning for the safety of road users, Hertfordshire County Council said.

Dan Harris, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office said on Wednesday and Thursday “unsettled weather is set to return as further frontal systems move in from the Atlantic, bringing showers or longer spells of rain to many parts of the UK”.

Key Points

• Yellow weather warning issued for Thursday

• Environment Agency warn of ‘significant’ flooding

• Heavy rain sees road closures and flooding in Bedfordshire

• Environment Agency issue 32 flood warnings

Tuesday and Wednesday set to remain much drier

15:17 , Holly Evans

Oli Claydon, spokesman for the Met Office, said that Tuesday is going to be much drier but there will be some rain in northern Scotland which will move south throughout the day.

He said: “Through the week, temperatures will be feeling colder, temperatures in Scotland could stay in single figures.

“We could see air frost overnight tonight in some rural areas of southern Scotland.”

There will be some showers on Wednesday morning in southern England but the rest of the day will be “largely fine”, he added.

Why has the weather been so wet?

14:15 , Holly Evans

As explained by the BBC yesterday, a buckle in a southerly runnint jet stram compined with a low-pressure system drifting north out of Spain and France has formed an area of unstable air.

Coupled with a feed of warm and humid air from central Europe, weatherman Matt Taylor said this meant “the recipe was right for storm clouds loaded with plenty of moisture.”

He continued: “With temperatures higher for a while than we would normally expect at this stage of the year, the storms have contained extra energy and have been intense. As the low pressure system then stuck over the southern half of the UK, the story continued over a number of days.”

Car completely swamped by floods as dual carriageway submerged in water

13:45 , Holly Evans

Video: Car completely swamped by floods after dual carriageway submerged in water

Latest pictures from the flooding

13:15 , Holly Evans

Drier interlude before heavy rain expected towards the weekend

12:48 , Holly Evans

The Met Office has predicted a drier interlude in the coming days, before the wet weather resumes towards the weekend.

Chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “The rainfall from Monday has now cleared away to leave a drier interlude for many, whilst some residual rain moves southwards across parts of Scotland.

“This drier spell will last until early Wednesday for most, before the next area of low pressure brings further rain later on Wednesday and into the latter part of the week.

“Further rain is likely for parts of England and Wales on Thursday. If and where this falls on saturated ground, the sensitivity to potential impacts is increased. At present, the heaviest rain looks like falling across east-facing hills of northern England, although there is some uncertainty in the regional focus.”

Yellow weather warning issued for Thursday

12:14 , Holly Evans

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain on Thursday, which could lead to travel disruption.

The forecaster has warned there is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to homes and business, and a small change of flooding.

Sewage alerts issued across England’s south coast

11:36 , Holly Evans

Sewage alerts have been issued across England, putting swimmers at risk of illness.

Along the south coast, alerts have been issued by the charity Surfers Against Sewage for Southampton, and the stretch of sea near Folkestone.

It follows two days of heavy rain which saw 100mm fall in some areas in just 24 hours.

Disruption at Euston expected until 1pm

11:02 , Holly Evans

National Rail has just said the ongoing disruption caused by heavy flooding between Rugby and Milton Keynes is now expected to last until 1pm.

Northwestern Railway and Avanti West Coast services are being affected - including trains to and from Euston Station, some of which have been cancelled and delayed.

Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire and other parts of UK hit by more than 100mm of rain

10:30 , Holly Evans

Commuters are facing road closures and disrupted rail services on Tuesday as dozens of flood warnings remain in place.

It comes after parts of Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire saw more than 100mm of rain in the last 48 hours with Woburn in Bedfordshire seeing 132mm recorded, more than twice the amount of its September average rainfall amount according to the Met Office.

The Environment Agency had 32 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and 94 flood alerts, meaning it is possible, in place across England on Tuesday morning, but a respite from more heavy rain is expected.

Bedfordshire resident who saw car stuck in floodwater says flooding is area’s worst ever

10:12 , Holly Evans

A resident of Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire saw a car stuck in floodwater on the A421 and said he had never seen flooding like it in the area.

Lee Elliott, 36, said: “I’ve never seen anything like it. We’ve lived here for about 10 years and that is the worst I’ve ever seen it.

“It has flooded there before, but nothing like that. It’s normally gone within a few hours.

“I was out last night helping push cars out of the floods because we came home quite late last night and saw the cars stuck in there, so we went down there to help them.”

Flooding causes disruption at Euston station

09:45 , Holly Evans

Euston station has apologised for the disruption caused to passengers after flooding near Milton Keynes caused rail delays.

In a post on X, they said: “We’ve been working through the night to monitor the situation & make sure the tracks are safe for trains to run.”

Met Office’s five-day weather forecast

09:20 , Holly Evans

Today:

Showery rain will affect Scotland, extending to parts of northern England later which can be heavy at times. Elsewhere it will be a brighter at times, though fresher day than on Monday, with a few showers developing.

Tonight:

Rain and showers largely die out across the northeast, though showers continuing across coasts. Cloudy elsewhere and turning cool in sheltered spots.

Wednesday:

Cloudy and mild in the south but rain reaches the southwest during the late morning, spreading eastwards across much of England and Wales by the end of the day.

Outlook for Thursday to Saturday:

Wet and perhaps windy weather affecting most areas on Thursday. Northern Scotland should remain drier, and colder. A showery, blustery and chilly northerly airstream for all on Friday.

Isolated showers and average temperatures in coming days

08:51 , Holly Evans

Maximum temperatures are expected to rise no higher than the mid-teens over the coming days, the Met Office has said.

Meteorologist Liam Eslick said: “There may be odd, heavier bursts just clipping the South East as a system does slowly start to move away, but it’s a much drier day for most people.

“There is going to be some isolated showers here and there, but they’re going to be very light, nothing like the torrential rain that we’ve seen over the last couple of days.”

River levels should start to decrease to more manageable levels elsewhere towards the end of the day as more water seeps into the ground.

The shift to drier conditions in southern areas will also signal a slight dip in temperatures.

Travel chaos continues for road and rail commuters after extreme rainfall

08:37 , Holly Evans

Rail passengers on two of the UK’s busiest routes face cancellations, diversions and delays during the Tuesday rush hour, due to signalling problems and flooding. Meanwhile a key road in Bedfordshire remains closed due to heavy flooding, with no indication of when the A421 might reopen.

The main line from Bournemouth, Southampton and Winchester to London Waterloo will have no trains running between Basingstoke and Winchester “until approximately 10am” according to National Rail.

South Western Railway, which runs most of the trains on the affected stretch of line, warned disruption would last even longer, saying: “Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12 noon.”

Read the full article here:

More travel chaos hits road and rail commuters after month’s rain falls in 24 hours

West Coast main line and Chiltern railway disrupted by flooding

08:20 , Simon Calder

Passengers on the West Coast main line – which connects London Euston with the West Midlands, northwest England, North Wales and southern Scotland – face serious problems during the morning rush-hour.

Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway services between through Northamptonshire are seriously disrupted .

National Rail says: “Heavy flooding between Rugby and Milton Keynes Central is disrupting journeys between these stations. As a result, trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised.”Buses are replacing trains between Northampton and Milton Keynes Central.

The line running roughly parallel, between Banbury and Bicester North, is expected to be disrupted until noon.

National Rail said: “Heavy flooding between Banbury and Bicester North means the lines towards London are blocked. As a result, trains running between these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes, or diverted.

“Trains running towards London will not call at Bicester North, passengers should travel to/from Bicester Village. Disruption is expected to continue until 12 noon.”

Environment Agency issue 32 flood warnings

08:04 , Holly Evans

The Environment Agency have issued 32 flood warnings across parts of the UK, and have warned that further local inland flooding is possible across England on Tuesday.

Areas that are at risk of flooding include areas close to the River Great Ouse, and certain parts of Northmapton and Leighton Buzzard.

As of 8am, a further 94 flood alerts had also been issued across large parts of England, including the Midlands and the south-east.

Main Hampshire commuter line to London blocked

07:45 , Simon Calder

The main line from Bournemouth, Southampton and Winchester to London Waterloo will have no trains running between Basingstoke and Winchester “until approximately 10am” according to National Rail.

South Western Railway, which runs most of the trains on the affected stretch of line, warned disruption would last even longer, saying: “Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12 noon.”

Some trains may be re-routed away from the affected stretch of track, though this will sharply increase journey times.

CrossCountry trains from Bournemouth and Southampton to Birmingham and Manchester are also affected.

'We cannot provide a timeline for the A421 to reopen' – National Highways

07:34 , Simon Calder

On the roads, the key problem remains in Bedfordshire: the closure of the A421 between the A6 at Bedford and junction 13 of the M1 due to flooding.

National Highways says: “Following spells of torrential rain, flooding occurred at Marston Moretaine on the evening of Sunday 22 September with water levels of up eight feet recorded.

“This has severely impacted efforts to clear floodwater from the carriageway. National Highways service providers continue to work at scene and at present a number of articulated tankers and pumping equipment are in use as efforts to clear the road continue.

“At this stage we cannot provide a timeline for the road to reopen. Three vehicles that have been abandoned in the flooded section will also need to be recovered before the carriageway can be fully re-opened.”

In addition, the A5 in Buckinghamshire is closed northbound at Milton Keynes due to flooding caused by heavy rainfall.

Flash floods hit parts of Britain as month’s worth of rain to fall in 24 hours

07:00 , Tara Cobham

Parts of Britain have been struck by flash floods after some areas saw more than a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.

Heavy rainfall has seen parts of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and London submerged – causing widespread travel disruption and damage to properties.

According to the Environment Agency, at least 45 properties have flooded across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Kent and the Home Counties.

William Warnes reports:

Flash floods hit parts of Britain as month’s worth of rain to fall in 24 hours

Cold arctic air to bring drop in temperatures

06:30 , Rachel Hagan

A blast of cold arctic air will bring colder temperatures towards the end of the week.

The Met Office says temperatures will decline, “leading us into a brief cold spell by the end of the week”. A more unsettled week lies ahead, with colder temperatures forecast.

It will feel chilly on Wednesday, followed by an unsettled and cold day on Thursday and cold and windy weather on Friday, the Met Office says.

Advice from Environment Agency

05:00 , Rachel Hagan

Environment Agency flood duty manager Sarah Cook said “persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms” could lead to some property flooding and travel disruption.

She said: “Persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms could lead to significant surface water flooding on Monday across parts of England.

“The impacts could include localised flooding in urban areas and fast-responding catchments, including some property flooding as well as travel disruption. The risk from river flooding remains low.

“Environment Agency teams are out on the ground and ready to support local authorities in responding to surface water flooding.

“We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water - it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.

“People should check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation as well as following EnvAgency on X, formerly Twitter, for the latest flood updates.”

Cannes hit by flash flooding with more severe storms possible

03:00 , Rachel Hagan

A little look across the Channel to France as Cannes has also been hit with flash floods, pushing cars through the streets and leaving the French Riviera city known for its film festival on high alert.

There were no injuries from the deluge in the French southeast region, where in 2015 at least 19 people died in flash floods and tens of thousands had power blackouts.

The situation was expected to return to normal by the end of the morning as the storm continued to move east, its town hall spokesperson said.

The city’s mayor David Lisnard told BFM TV he would be seeking an explanation from other authorities because the city only received a government alert an hour after the storm began.

Why has it been so wet?

02:00 , Rachel Hagan

The BBC’s weatherman Matt Taylor has explained why it has been so wet. He cites a buckle in a southerly running jet stream combined with a low-pressure system drifting north out of Spain and France to form an area of very unstable air.

Coupled with a feed of warm and humid air from central Europe meant “the recipe was right for storm clouds loaded with plenty of moisture.”

He continued: “With temperatures higher for a while than we would normally expect at this stage of the year, the storms have contained extra energy and have been intense. As the low pressure system then stuck over the southern half of the UK, the story continued over a number of days.”

Latest pictures

01:00 , Rachel Hagan

More than 100 flood alerts and warnings in place

Monday 23 September 2024 23:59 , Rachel Hagan

There are currently 22 flood warnings in place this evening, covering areas where flooding is actively expected to happen.

There are another 87 flood alerts in place, which means that flooding is possible.

Both lists have been steadily rising throughout the day.

Met Office issues rush hour warning

Monday 23 September 2024 23:00 , Rachel Hagan

The Met Office has urged commuters to take care on their journey home this evening.

If you need to drive in this weather, here are the steps you should take

Monday 23 September 2024 22:00 , Rachel Hagan

While you should avoid driving if you live in a flooded area, if you need to drive here is the advice from the National Highways agency:

• Check the availability of service areas along your route

• Make sure you know how to operate your headlights and fog lights

• Check your vehicle

• Pack a seasonal kit

• Check the weather forecast. If heavy downpours are expected, consider delaying your journey until it clears

• During periods of extreme weather, adjust when you travel to avoid the worst days and times of day if possible

• Check traffic conditions on the National Highways website and on Twitter

When you’re on the road, it advises:

• If it’s time for your wipers, it’s time to slow down

• Use dipped headlights, especially if visibility is seriously reduced

• The roads will be more slippery than usual, so give yourself more time to react - increase the gap between you and the vehicle in front to at least four seconds

• Look out for standing water - adjust your driving before and after encountering any

• Keep your eyes on the road at all times - spray from other vehicles can suddenly reduce your visibility

• Visibility affects others too, so anticipate their actions and be prepared

• During thunderstorms, sudden gusty winds can unsettle vehicles. Keep your speed down and give other road users more room

The RAC called on drivers to take “extreme care” and avoid driving through water deeper than 10cm.

Farm animals rescued from the rain by community

Monday 23 September 2024 20:00 , Jordan Reynolds

Dozens of people rushed to a farm to save animals after it was hit by flooding with some wading into chest-height water to drag sheep to safety.

Joanna Johnson started to break down in tears as she told the PA news agency how 50 neighbours turned up at Moreteyne’s Retreat in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, at 8pm on Sunday in response to an emergency WhatsApp message she had sent.

The 54-year-old said her miniature ponies had to swim out of the flood water and the sheep were dragged through to safety.

Members of the community and emergency services were helping at the farm until about 4am, building temporary pens for some of the animals by the roadside and finding short-term places for the others, including a school playground for two ponies.

Ms Johnson said parts of the farm had flooded in January this year but this time the whole farm was underwater.

She said: “We’ve spent the last five years building the place up, we opened it up for free for the villagers after Covid, we were hoping to do that more often as there’s so many families that can’t afford to go to a farm.

“We flooded in January this year and the fire brigade got all the animals out, they were here for 12 hours. Yesterday it was like a river coming off the A421 and then the pond burst and within 15 minutes the entire farm was under water.

“I put a message out online and the villagers flocked here so fast. The miniature ponies had to swim out. The only way we could save the sheep was to pull them out the water. I felt so helpless. My eldest ewe collapsed last night and I didn’t think she was going to make it but she’s up and about now.”

One of the helpers was a 15-year-old boy who was at the farm with his mother until 2am, Ms Johnson said.

Five day weather forecast shows rain throughout the week

Monday 23 September 2024 19:00 , Rachel Hagan

The Met Office’s five-day weather forecast for the country shows rain throughout the week

This Evening and Tonight:

Heavy rain will ease from the west across England and parts of Wales. Meanwhile, showery rain will extend south across northern and central parts of Scotland. Otherwise, it will be a rather cloudy night with the odd light shower.

Tuesday:

Showery rain will affect Scotland tomorrow, extending to parts of northern England later. Elsewhere it will be a brighter, though fresher day than on Monday, with a few showers developing.

Wednesday to Friday:

Wet and perhaps windy weather affecting most areas on Wednesday and Thursday. Northern Scotland should remain drier, and colder. A showery, blustery and chilly northerly airstream for all on Friday.

The weekend:

The upcoming weekend is expected to see a more settled picture overall as high pressure builds in from the southwest. However, cloud and patchy rain will probably quite quickly spread into the northwest, and is increasingly likely elsewhere by Sunday.

Next week:

Into the following week, unsettled conditions look most likely to return for many parts of the UK as Atlantic frontal systems arrive from the west. These would be expected to bring spells of rain, heavy in places, with a risk of strong winds. A more settled spell is possible, but less likely.

Temperatures are likely to be near to or below normal throughout, and it is likely to be notably cold at the start of this period, before temperatures recover.

Bedfordshire resident who saw car stuck in floodwater says flooding is area’s worst ever

Monday 23 September 2024 18:41 , Tara Cobham

A resident of Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire saw a car stuck in floodwater on the A421 and said he had never seen flooding like it in the area.

Lee Elliott, 36, told the PA news agency: “I’ve never seen anything like it. We’ve lived here for about 10 years and that is the worst I’ve ever seen it.

“It has flooded there before, but nothing like that. It’s normally gone within a few hours.

“I was out last night helping push cars out of the floods because we came home quite late last night and saw the cars stuck in there, so we went down there to help them.”

Met Office warns of further rain after chaos caused by flash floods across the country

Monday 23 September 2024 18:37 , Tara Cobham

The Met Office has warned of more rain in the coming days after flash floods wreaked havoc across the UK, submerging roads and homes.

Several parts of the country, including Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and London, have been overwhelmed by floods after receiving more than a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours.

While Tuesday is expected to be quieter, deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris warned of further unsettled weather and heavy rain later in the week.

My colleague Rachel Hagan reports:

Met Office warns of further rain after chaos caused by flash floods in England

Heavy rain expected again later in the week

Monday 23 September 2024 18:00 , Rachel Hagan

While Tuesday is expected to be quieter, deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris warned of further unsettled weather and heavy rain later in the week.

He said: “Tuesday’s weather will be quieter across England and Wales, with just a few showers possible for both here and Northern Ireland. More frequent showers are expected across Scotland following some heavy rain in the far north overnight.

“Through Wednesday and Thursday, unsettled weather is set to return as further frontal systems move in from the Atlantic, bringing showers or longer spells of rain to many parts of the UK and a chance of strong winds in a few places.”

At least 260 flood reports in Hertfordshire

Monday 23 September 2024 16:56 , Rachel Hagan

Hertfordshire County Council has received as many as 260 flood reports from Saturday to today, with the majority centred around St Albans, Harpenden and Letchworth.

Latest on train delays with commuters facing nightmare

Monday 23 September 2024 16:35 , Rachel Hagan

The severe weather is still causing several rail delays including on major commuter routes.

Heavy rain flooding the railway between Swindon and Chippenham has caused delays on the line. Trains running towards Chippenham may be cancelled or diverted between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads.

Flooding is also impacting the lines between Swindon and Bristol Parkway, with trains travelling very slowly.

Services on the London Underground are beginning to return to normal after it saw partial suspensions and severe delays due to flooding.

There are now just minor delays on the Bakerloo and District lines. The latter remains part suspended between Turnham Green and Richmond.

The Metropolitan line is now fully open, but severe delays remain between Uxbridge and Baker Street. The Piccadilly line has also reopened, with severe delays between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge and minor delays between Acton Town and Heathrow Airports/Rayners Lane.

‘Sinkhole’ seen on AFC Wimbledon’s pitch

Monday 23 September 2024 15:43 , Rachel Hagan

Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third-round tie between AFC Wimbledon and Newcastle has been postponed due to extensive flooding that caused what looked like a sinkhole to open up on the pitch at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

Below is a video of the pitch.

At least 45 homes evacuated in east and southeast of country

Monday 23 September 2024 15:24 , Rachel Hagan

At least 45 homes have been evacuated due to flooding in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Kent, and the Home Counties.

Environment Agency flood duty manager Sarah Cook said: “Due to heavy persistent rain and thunderstorms, there have been localised surface water flooding impacts in parts of England today. Environment Agency teams are out on the ground, and ready to support local authorities in responding to surface water flooding.

“We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.”

Minister thanks emergency workers for battling floods

Monday 23 September 2024 14:31 , Rachel Hagan

Anneliese Dodds, Labour MP for Oxford East and minister of state for development, has thanked the emergency services in her local area for dealing with the floods.

Wimbledon pitch flooded

Monday 23 September 2024 13:30 , Rachel Hagan

AFC Wimbledon’s Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle United has been postponed after “extensive overnight flooding” has caused a sinkhole near one of the corners of the ground.

London fire brigade respond to over 300 calls

Monday 23 September 2024 13:00 , Rachel Hagan

London Fire Brigade said its 999 control officers have taken around 350 calls to flooding across the capital.

Firefighters have attended incidents in areas such as Ruislip, Uxbridge, Wimbledon and Carshalton.

The service said these included rescuing people trapped in cars, assisting people from their homes and responding to flooding in underground stations, roadways, residences and commercial properties.

Man saw a ‘wave of water' heading towards him

Monday 23 September 2024 12:34 , Rachel Hagan

A man from Northamptonshire has described the moment he saw a “wave of water” heading towards him during flooding on Sunday night.

Tim Maher and his partner Carol Findon, from Grendon, saw their two-storey home partially submerged overnight with more than a foot of water.

Mr Maher told PA: “We’ve had an awful lot of rain in recent days and some forecasters were warning we could see a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.

“I have an app on my phone which tracks river levels and at around 8:45pm it rocketed up. I decided to drive down to the bridge and saw the water breaking the banks and coming down the road towards me.

“I quickly turned around, drove home and put up a flood barrier we’ve got up against the door. It kept out a lot of the water but we’ve had about an inch overnight. We’ve had some damage to the carpets, settees and other furniture. The most difficult bit will be drying out the structure.

“We haven’t had much sleep and at least eight houses on our road have been impacted. It would be nice to get a permanent solution to this problem.”

Hairdresser says floodwater reached knee height in Bedfordshire

Monday 23 September 2024 12:15 , Rachel Hagan

A hairdresser was cleaning up mud outside her salon in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, on Monday morning after floodwater reached knee height on Sunday.

Kirsty Brewer told the PA news agency it was the fourth time the business had flooded in the last six or seven years and the first time it caused thousands of pounds of damage.

The 31-year-old, who rents a chair in the business, said: "It started yesterday afternoon when the whole of Dunstable was flooded. It was up to your knee deep, the road comes down so we're sitting in a bit of a well.

“We don't open on Sundays or Mondays, so it's not affected business in that way, it's just a big clean-up. It was full of mud when we got here at 9am.

"This is the fourth time that it has happened in the last six or seven years, so we've got all the electricals up, we're prepared. We know how to handle it. Because we are a listed building we're not allowed a floodgate. The first time that it happened it was thousands of pounds worth of damage. It happened last year, it's like a once-a-year thing."

The latest in pictures

Monday 23 September 2024 11:58 , Rachel Hagan

Updated list of flood warnings

Monday 23 September 2024 11:37 , Rachel Hagan

There are now 17 flood warnings across England, where flooding “is expected” and 68 alerts where “flooding is possible.”

if your area has a flood warning, the government advises in some circumstances to turn off your gas, electricity and water supplies. Move your family, vehicles, pets and important items to safety and follow advice from your local council or the emergency services.

Here is everywhere affected:

- Bunches Brook from Broadway to Childswickham

- Grendon Brook catchment including Yardley Hastings, Denton, Bozeat, Easton Maudit and Grendon

- Kidbrooke Stream at Forest Row

- Low-lying areas close to Clipstone Brook at Leighton Buzzard

- Mill Brook from the Hagbourne Mill area to Winterbrook

- River Anker at Mancetter, Witherley and Atherstone

- River Flit, River Hit and River Ivel at Shefford and Clifton

- River Ivel at Langford

- River Lee at Harpenden

- River Lee at Luton

- River Medway between Forest Row and Penshurst

- River Ouzel at Bletchley and Caldecotte

- River Ouzel at Leighton Buzzard, Stoke Hammond and Great Brickhill

- River Teise in Lamberhurst and Goudhurst

- Water Eaton Brook at Water Eaton

- Wider area at risk from Clipstone Brook at Leighton Buzzard

- Yeading Brook East at South Ruislip

Car left ‘stranded’ overnight in London downpour

Monday 23 September 2024 10:45 , Rachel Hagan

The London Fire Brigade had to rescue a stranded car overnight near Croydon.

An image shared by the service shows the vehicle mostly underwater on Manor Road, in Wallington.

They warned drivers that just a foot of water moving 6mph could float a car.

AFC Wimbledon’s Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle postponed

Monday 23 September 2024 10:14 , Rachel Hagan

AFC Wimbledon and Newcastle’s Carabao Cup third-round meeting on Tuesday has been called off due to “extensive overnight flooding” at the

The Dons’ stadium in London is now closed with a rescheduled date for the tie yet to be confirmed.

A statement on Wimbledon’s official website read: “We regret to inform supporters that due to extensive overnight flooding of the River Wandle and surrounding areas, including at our Cherry Red Records Stadium, Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third-round fixture against Newcastle United has been postponed. More information will follow in due course regarding fixture rearrangement. The stadium is closed until further notice.”

The fourth round of the Carabao Cup is due to take place the week commencing October 28.

List of schools forced to close today due to weather

Monday 23 September 2024 10:12 , Rachel Hagan

Several schools across the country have been forced to close today due to significant flooding. The flooded schools said pupils had been set to remote learning and urged parents and carers to check their websites for updates. Some school trips have also been cancelled.

Here is a list of the closures which we will be updating throughout the day if information changes.

Gloucestershire:

• Chosen Hill School in Churchdown

• The Milestone School in Gloucester [Monday and Tuesday]

• Tewkesbury CofE Primary

Oxfordshire:

• Frank Wise School, Banbury

• The Warriner School, Bloxham

• Lord Williams’s School, Thame

• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, Banbury

Bedfordshire:

• Goldington Academy, Putnoe

• Hockliffe Lower School, Leighton Buzzard

• Mark Rutherford School

• St Marys CofE Clophill VA, Clophill

• The Hills Academy,

• Broadmead Lower School, Park Crescent

• Sheerhatch Primary School’s Willington site

• Lincroft Academy, Oakley [only be open to Year 11 and ARC students today]

• Harlington Upper

• Harlington Lower

• Sundon Lower School, Bedfordshire

Where rain could fall in your area as amber warning comes into effect

Monday 23 September 2024 09:41 , Rachel Hagan

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and up towards the Wash and the Humber could be hit by the heavy rainfall.

A yellow alert was put in place throughout the day, covering parts of Wales, much of the south of England, the Midlands and into northwest England and Yorkshire.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey added: “First thing on Monday morning then we see an amber weather warning come into force. It stretches between Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and up towards the Wash and the Humber.

“This area in particular, during Monday, we could see over a month’s worth of rain falling, and with the rain we’ve already seen over the last couple of days this certainly has the potential to bring some disruption and flooding in locations and here it is very important we do take care over the course of the day.”

UK weather mapped: Where rain could fall as amber warning comes into effect

Yellow weather warning extended

Monday 23 September 2024 09:21 , Rachel Hagan

The Met Office’s yellow weather warning has been extended to last until 23:59 tonight.

There is still some uncertainty regarding which areas will be affected by the heaviest rain, but at this stage parts of the south Midlands, southern and southwest England look most likely to be greatest hit.

Met Office warn that some areas could see 100mm of rain on Monday

Monday 23 September 2024 09:01 , Holly Evans

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Frank Saunders said: “Following on from the heavy rain that some of us have seen on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the new working week begins with rain across a large swathe of England and Wales.

“The area with the higher likelihood of impactful rain is now covered by an Amber warning, stretching from Gloucester across the Midlands to the Wash and the Humber.

“It’s likely that some parts of this area will be worse affected than others – it all depends on where, and if, the weather system responsible for the heavy rain stalls and pivots.

“However, within this warning period - which encompasses two rush hours – some localities will probably see between 50 and 80 mm of rain, while there’s the possibility that a few could experience in excess of 100mm of rain. Where this happens, this brings the potential for travel disruption and localised flooding.”

Heavy rain sees road closures and flooding in Bedfordshire

Monday 23 September 2024 08:46 , Holly Evans

Heavy rainfall overnight has seen areas in Bedfordshire already submerged, with police confirming a number of road closures including Dunstable High Street. Footage shared on social media showed cars battling high water around the Saracen’s Head pub.

Central Bedfordshire Council said flooding had also hit Flitwick, Cranfield and Marston Moretaine.

As of 7.40am, 13 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – were issued for England by the Environment Agency.

Areas affected by the flood warnings include Atherstone in Warwickshire, Leighton Buzzard and Luton in Bedfordshire and parts of London including Wimbledon and South Ruislip.

Five day weather forecast shows rain throughout the week

Monday 23 September 2024 08:25 , Holly Evans

Today:

Heavy rain will linger across parts of England and Wales today. This could lead to localised flooding in some southern areas. Further north it will be drier and largely cloudy, although rain will move into northern Scotland.

Tonight:

Rain in the south will gradually ease tonight and clear to the east during the early hours. Skies will remain cloudy, with rain continuing in northern Scotland through the night.

Tuesday:

Rain in the east clears in the morning. Outbreaks of rain in Scotland will spread to northern England in the afternoon. Largely dry and cloudy elsewhere. Chilly in the north.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Rain will spread across the UK during Wednesday and Thursday, possibly with strong winds in places. Rain should clear through Friday and it will turn colder in a northerly wind.

Travel chaos on tubes and trains after overnight flooding in London and southeast England

Monday 23 September 2024 08:15 , Holly Evans

Commuters in London and southeast England face widespread problems at the start of the working week due to overnight flooding.

The UK’s biggest rail franchise, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), is warning that severe weather will affect all its operations: Great Northern, Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink.

The company says: “Due to the consistent overnight rainfall throughout the GTR network, a number of services are expected to be impacted this morning.”

Read the full article here:

Travel chaos after overnight flooding in London and southeast England

Road closures across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

Monday 23 September 2024 08:05 , Holly Evans

Police have confirmed a number of road closures across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire following “substantial flooding” overnight.

Heavy rainfall on Sunday into Monday has seen areas such as Dunstable and Hitchin partially submerged.

Bedfordshire Police said it had closed off part of Dunstable High Street due to “substantial flooding”, with footage shared on social media showing cars battling high water around the Saracen’s Head pub.

Central Bedfordshire Council said flooding had also hit Flitwick, Cranfield and Marston Moretaine.

North Hertfordshire Police have also advised motorists to avoid some parts of Hitchin, including Walsworth Road near the town centre.

Environment Agency warn of ‘significant’ flooding

Monday 23 September 2024 07:46 , Holly Evans

The Environment Agency has warned of “significant” flooding on Monday across parts of England.

Flood duty manager Sarah Cook said “persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms” could lead to some property flooding and travel disruption.

She said: “Persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms could lead to significant surface water flooding on Monday across parts of England.

“The impacts could include localised flooding in urban areas and fast-responding catchments, including some property flooding as well as travel disruption. The risk from river flooding remains low.

“Environment Agency teams are out on the ground and ready to support local authorities in responding to surface water flooding.

“We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.

“People should check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation as well as following @EnvAgency on X, formerly Twitter, for the latest flood updates.”

Areas covered by amber rain warning

Monday 23 September 2024 07:26 , Andre Langlois

The following areas come under the amber warning for rain:

East Midlands

• Derby

• Derbyshire

• Leicester

• Leicestershire

• Lincolnshire

• Northamptonshire

• Nottingham

• Nottinghamshire

• Rutland

East of England

• Cambridgeshire

• Peterborough

London & South East England

• Oxfordshire

South West England

• Gloucestershire

West Midlands

• Herefordshire

• Shropshire

• Staffordshire

• Stoke-on-Trent

• Telford and Wrekin

• Warwickshire

• West Midlands Conurbation

• Worcestershire

Yorkshire & Humber

• East Riding of Yorkshire

• Kingston upon Hull

• North East Lincolnshire

• North Lincolnshire

• South Yorkshire

Lightning

Monday 23 September 2024 07:15 , Andre Langlois

Jenna Smith captured this stunning picture of lightning above houses in Northamptonshire on Sunday.

‘Stay clear of flooded roads'

Monday 23 September 2024 06:55 , Andre Langlois

Late on Sunday night, Bedfordshire Police posted a statement, saying: “We are aware of the multiple issues the weather is causing across the county tonight. Please only call us if there is an immediate threat to life or crime in progress.

“All emergency services and council teams are working as quickly as possible to help those affected but our priority will be the vulnerable. Please stay clear of flooded roads and affected areas.”

Flood warnings

Monday 23 September 2024 06:43 , Andre Langlois

Currently, 13 flood warnings have been put in place for England by the Environment Agency.

Areas affected include Atherstone in Warwickshire, Leighton Buzzard and Luton in Bedfordshire and parts of London including Wimbledon and South Ruislip.

Warnings of rain and flooding

Monday 23 September 2024 06:39 , Andre Langlois

Good morning.

We’ll be bringing the latest updates on heavy rain across the UK on Monday, which is expected to cause extensive travel disruption.