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UK weather: Flooding and travel disruption looms as rain persists

Waves break at sunrise as the tail end of Hurricane Epsilon brings strong winds and heavy rain to Porthleven (REUTERS)
Waves break at sunrise as the tail end of Hurricane Epsilon brings strong winds and heavy rain to Porthleven (REUTERS)

Flooding and disruption to travel are expected as heavy rain persists into the weekend over several parts of the UK.

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for Wales, northwest England and southwest Scotland, alerting of potential flooding in homes and businesses, and fast-flowing and deep floodwater posing a danger to life.

Rainfall building up in these areas could reach 40-50mm over hills and mountains on Thursday and the problems that look set to get worse by Friday, with 150mm of rain predicted in parts of Wales and northwest England.

Unlike the wet start to Thursday for Wales and Northern Ireland, eastern England will enjoy a dry, bright morning, but this will soon change as the cloud and rain move in to spread across the country.

The far northeast can also expect scattered showers as well as the odd sunny spell, but the rain will work its way over during the afternoon.

The rain will ease off in the south by the end of the day and the temperature will lift ever so slightly, with highs of 14C in Cardiff, Southampton and London, and rising to 15C in Exeter and Plymouth.

The cloud and damp will keep it cooler in other parts though, with 9C expected in Newcastle, and it will turn windy as 32mph gusts descend on Birmingham, Swindon and Peterborough.

Overnight, some northwestern areas will see clearer and colder conditions, with wind and rain remaining elsewhere.

This continues and brings in several more unsettled days of rain and chilly winds as the yellow warnings stay in place in Wales, northwest England and southern, central and western Scotland through to the end of Sunday.

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