The UK faced a dangerous start to meteorological winter on Monday as an amber weather warning brought heavy rainfall and flood alerts across Wales and parts of England. Mountainous areas in north Wales recorded up to 83mm of rain by mid-afternoon – nearly half the country's average December rainfall in a matter of hours.
Natural Resources Wales issued ten flood warnings and 52 flood alerts, while England saw six flood warnings and 57 alerts across northern, western and south-western regions. Authorities warned of «significant impacts, including danger to life» and urged all communities in Wales to check their flood risk.
The Met Office's amber warning for south Wales remained in place until 9pm on Monday. Four weather warnings covered Wales and parts of north and south-west England throughout much of the day.
Rainfall amounts and impacts
Rainfall totals varied significantly across the region. The Met Office forecast widespread accumulations of 20-40mm, with 60-80mm expected over high ground such as Bannau Brycheiniog. Some locations in south Wales could see 100-120mm.
Strong south to southwesterly winds accompanied the heavy rain, with gales around coasts and over high ground. Train services were cancelled between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog in north Wales, and between Swansea and Shrewsbury. The Britannia Bridge in north Wales faced restrictions due to high winds.
Natural Resources Wales warned that surface water flooding was «widely expected» and would cause «serious travel disruption». Driving conditions were described as «likely to be hazardous throughout the day, including during rush hours».
Following wet autumn
The heavy rainfall comes after an exceptionally wet autumn across the UK. The country recorded 20 per cent more rainfall than the long-term meteorological average. Northern Ireland experienced its third wettest autumn on record.
Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud said: «It's been a bit of a wet start to meteorological winter with generally a cloudy picture right across the country. (There have been) outbreaks of rain, some locally heavy and persistent, and also some strong and gusty winds.»
The UK's autumn rainfall total of 403.4mm easily exceeded the combined spring and summer total of 340.4mm. Three named storms – Amy, Benjamin and Claudia – brought strong winds and heavy rain during the autumn months.
Outlook and warnings
Stroud predicted conditions would «gradually improve» overnight into Tuesday morning, with cloud and rain moving eastwards. However, he added that «further unsettled conditions» are expected in the coming days.
The current flooding comes just weeks after Storm Claudia caused severe flooding in Monmouth. Weather forecasters predict more unsettled conditions ahead, with snow expected to affect parts of Scotland and northern England later in the week.
The Met Office warned of an increased chance of landslides on both natural and infrastructure slopes due to saturated ground conditions. Residents were advised to stay away from swollen riverbanks and avoid driving or walking through flood waters.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
