Storm Claudia is set to bring “heavy and disruptive rain” for much of England and Wales today and into Saturday, together with strong winds in the west, with Amber warnings issued by the Met Office.
Amber rain warnings are in place across swathes of the UK in southern and central parts of England and Wales, with wider yellow warnings also issued for rain and wind.
The Environment Agency is warning of widespread flood risk from surface water, with widespread flooding probable from surface water and possible from rivers across England today.
Currently there are three warnings in place where flooding is expected and 98 flood alerts where flooding is possible. A total of 42 flood warnings have been removed in the last 24 hours
River flooding impacts could also continue through Saturday into Sunday in some larger rivers.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said:
“Storm Claudia will bring very heavy rainfall to a large swathe of central and southern England and Wales on Friday into Saturday. This rain will become slow moving, and some areas could see up to a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.
“Much of this will fall on saturated ground, increasing the chances of flooding and contributing to the Amber warnings we have issued. Within the Amber warning areas, some could see in excess of 150mm accumulate during the event, with 60-80mm fairly widely. Gusty winds in the northwest of England and northwest Wales is an additional hazard, with 60-70mph gusts possible in exposed places within the warning area.”
Alun Attwood, Duty Tactical Manager Wales at Natural Resources Wales said:
“The amber and yellow rain warnings in place from the early hours of Friday and into Saturday are expected to bring significant impacts across Wales. With rivers already swollen and the ground saturated, we expect to see many flood alerts and warnings issued as a result of Storm Claudia.”
In contrast to many named storms, Storm Claudia will not directly cross the UK, although it is responsible for the heavy rain on Friday and into Saturday.
Ben Lukey, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, commented:
"Minor surface water and river flooding impacts are ongoing across the north of England today.
"Storm Claudia will bring heavy prolonged rainfall across parts of England, with significant surface water flooding probable across parts of central England on Friday, while significant river flooding impacts are also possible tomorrow and into Saturday.
“Environment Agency teams are out on the ground to clear any debris from watercourses and preparing to operate flood defences when needed. Working closely with local authorities, we are ensuring all emergency responders are aware of local flood risks and fully prepared for the arrival of Storm Claudia.”
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