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Severe weather warnings and flood alerts have been issued for large
parts of the UK as heavy rain threatens to bring localised flooding.
Nineteen flood alerts – which warn the public to be be aware of
possible flooding – are in place, mostly in the South West.
There are also three in southeast England, two in the Midlands and one in Wales.
Many areas have already seen heavy rainfall and the soaked ground has
increased the likelihood of floods.
The Environment Agency said the main risk was from "surface water
flooding" rather than rivers bursting their banks.
The Somerset Levels, one of the areas hardest hit last winter, is
among the areas where an alert is in place despite a £6m dredging
programme on the River Parrett since then.
Rebecca Horsington, of flood campaign group Flag, said people were
concerned about what this winter would bring.
"There's a lot of people who have been out of their homes for six
months. The general anxiety is that they are putting their lives and
homes back together, but is there any point?" she said.
However, the Environment Agency said the risk remained low for the moment.
"In Somerset some agricultural floodplain is currently storing water
as a result of planned management of river levels. This is completely
normal for this time of year," a spokesman said.
"We are not expecting any properties to flood. It would take very
heavy rainfall over a long period of time to put homes at risk."
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for southwest
England, as well as Northern Ireland, southern Wales and much of
Scotland.
One band of heavy rain and strong winds struck Northern Ireland, west
Wales and southwest England on Thursday and a second band of heavy
rain was expected overnight and on Friday.
Sky weather producer Rebecca Yussuf said it was expected to hit
southern parts of the Republic of Ireland and southwest England first.
She said: "That sometimes heavy and thundery rain will spread
north-eastwards overnight, extending to Northern Ireland, Wales and
central southern England by dawn.
"Most places will have a cloudy and wet start to Friday, with
outbreaks of persistent and sometimes heavy rain.
"That rain will move north-eastwards during the morning, reaching
Scotland and north-east England by midday.
"After all the recent wet weather, there is a continued risk of
flooding in Tayside, Angus, Dundee and Aberdeenshire.
"Elsewhere, Northern Ireland, the Republic, Wales and south-west
England will turn drier and brighter, but a few showers will develop.
"Those showers will become more widespread through the afternoon, with
some heavy and perhaps thundery downpours in places.
"North-east Scotland will remain wet, but central and eastern England
and western Scotland will dry up by evening."
The Met Office said earlier this week the latest three-month outlook
suggests that there is an increased risk of milder and wetter than
average conditions for November, December and January.
Credit: Sky News
