UK WEATHER MAP REVEALS WHERE RAIN IS SET TO DRENCH BRITS IN A MATTER OF HOURS
A new UK weather map has revealed where Storm Claudia will batter Brits with up to six inches of rain and 70mph wind gusts within a matter of hours.
The Met Office issued two 'danger to life' amber rain warnings for parts of central England and South Wales today, both running from 12pm to midnight.
A wider and longer yellow rain warning is also in place for most of southern England and the Midlands, active from 6am tomorrow until 6am on Saturday.
Storm Claudia was named in Spain, where it is currently affecting western Iberia and the Canary Islands, bringing prolonged heavy rain and strong easterly winds to the UK.
A map issued by the Met Office shows the areas where heavy rain will sweep across central and southern England.
Claudia is said to lack the 'distinctive swirl' of previous storms, with its slow-moving nature likely to bring prolonged periods of heavy rain.
There is likely to be a mild but wet start to tomorrow through most of England and Wales, but a drier morning for Northern Ireland and Scotland.
South Wales is set to see the most rain, with 50mm to 75mm (3in) expected widely in the amber warning area - and 100mm (4in) to 150mm (6in) on some higher ground.
The area of central England under the amber warning is expected to have 40mm (1.6in) to 60mm (2.4in) of rain. Some parts of the East Midlands, western England and higher ground in Wales within this same area could see around 80mm (3.1in).
Forecasters said any travel disruption could be exacerbated by strong easterly winds, with gusts of 50 to 60mph expected during the afternoon and evening.
Up to 70mph is also possible over some exposed hilltop and coastal spots, while thunderstorms are expected later tomorrow afternoon and evening.
The amber warning for central England states 'fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life', while 'homes and businesses are likely to be flooded, causing damage to some buildings'.
It also warns of 'spray and flooding leading to difficult driving conditions and some road closures' and a 'good chance some communities will be cut off by flooded roads'.
Furthermore, the warning states 'delays and some cancellations to train and bus services are likely' with 'power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses possible'.
The amber warning for Wales is similar, but additionally says: 'Loss of power and other essential services, such as gas, water or mobile phone services, is possible.'
The Environment Agency has warned local flooding is possible from rivers and surface water.
Some 20 flood warnings and 35 flood alerts have been issued across England.
Natural Resources Wales has issued eight flood alerts, while the Scottish Environment Protection Agency activated two flood warnings and seven flood alerts.
It comes despite a warning from the Environment Agency that England will experience widespread drought after 2025's dry spring and summer.
Drought is declared over only when water levels are fully replenished and England has seen below average rainfall for eight out of 10 months so far this year, with only January and September registering above average rain.
The country has received only 83 per cent of the average rainfall for January to October, and suffered the driest spring for 132 years and the hottest summer on record.
Despite recent rainfall, the situation remains 'precarious', the Environment Agency said.
And if the winter is drier than normal, much or all of the country will be in drought by next spring, with the risk of hosepipe bans, effects on crops and wildlife, and wildfires as the summer progresses.
The dry conditions also raise the risk of flash flooding when rain does come as dry soils struggle to soak up heavy downpours and the water simply runs off to cause flood waters.
Environment Agency director of water Helen Wakeham said: 'There will be a drought next year, unless we get sustained rainfall through the winter.
'The severity of that drought will depend both on the weather and the actions we take over winter following this very dry year.
'The public have been brilliant in using a little less water this summer and following the restrictions in some parts of the country.
'I would urge people to continue to be as efficient as possible with their water use this winter - even if it is raining outside. Our wildlife, our rivers and our public water supplies depend on it.'
If England receives an average amount of rainfall over the winter, all areas of the country will be in a normal or recovering condition by March 2026, with the exception of parts of Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire which will still be in prolonged dry conditions.
Will Lang, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'While it's not possible to definitively forecast weather for the next three months, the chances of a dry period are higher than normal.
'A more average three-month period for rainfall is still the most likely scenario.
'It's important to note that rainfall patterns in England can be variable, so while some may see more rainfall, others will see less, possibly giving limited relief from long-standing dry conditions.'
Water minister Emma Hardy said the Government would continue to work with the National Drought Group and water companies to maintain supplies for communities across the country.
'Climate change means we will face more frequent, severe droughts and flooding in the years ahead.
'That's why this government is taking decisive action to secure our long-term water resilience, which includes building nine new reservoirs and investing in new pipes to reduce leakage,' she said.
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