UK map reveals where floods are likely to hit as weekend’s-worth of snow which fell in -11C chill is washed away by rain
A MAP reveals where floods are likely to hit Britain as nearly 400 warnings and alerts have been put in place today.
Snow quickly turned to rain yesterday across parts of the UK leading to further unsettled conditions for the start of the new week.
The Met Office has issued a flurry of weather warnings for snow and ice in Scotland and the northern half of England.
But rain warnings cover much of the Midlands and south coast this morning.
The Environment Agency issued 166 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and 299 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, across England as of 8am on Monday.
At the same point, National Resources Wales had issued three flood warnings and 34 flood alerts.
Sarah Cook, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said the combination of melting snow and rain could lead to “significant flooding” – with parts of Lancashire and Warwickshire most at risk today.
It comes after temperatures plummeted to -11C overnight and snow continues to blanket parts of the North.
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Many local authorities are yet to decide on whether schools will be open, and must assess overnight’s snowfall in order to reach a call.
Families are advised to use the government’s tool – which collates such data – to find out if their school is open. You just need to enter your postcode in the toolbar here.
- National Highways said several stretches of A-roads across England are closed because of snow, flooding or crashes.
- They include:
- The A66 in Cumbria in both directions between the A1M and the M6 because of snow.
- – The A628 Woodhead Pass in South Yorkshire/Derbyshire in both directions between the A616 for Flouch and the A57 for Hollingworth because of flooding.
- – The A1 in Lincolnshire in both directions between the A607 for Grantham and the B1174 for Little Ponton because of flooding.
- – The A49 in Herefordshire in both directions between the A4112 for Stockton and the A44 for Leominster because of flooding.
- – The A38 in Derbyshire northbound from the A50 for Findern to the A5111 for Mickleover because of a crash.
- The A46 in Warwickshire is also closed in both directions between the A452 for Kenilworth and the M40 (junction 15) because of a crash.
- National Highways said “a car is reported to have aquaplaned due to flooding in the area”.
- Aquaplaning is when a driver loses control because a layer of water prevents their tyres from gripping the road.
National Highways said the M5 in Gloucestershire is closed southbound from junction 11A for Gloucester to junction 12 for Quedgeley because of “extensive flooding”.
In an update at 7.05am, it said “contractors are en route to try and deal with the flooding”.
The link road from junction 11A southbound to the A417 southbound at Brockworth interchange was closed after “flooding following heavy rainfall in the area caused drains to become blocked”.
The road was later reopened.
Thousands of journeys on the M25 in Surrey are being delayed as the motorway is closed in the anti-clockwise direction from junction 10 for the A3 to junction eight for Reigate.
National Highways said a lorry has “struck the central reservation and come to rest sideways across the carriageway”.
In a later update, it said the vehicle has been removed and the road surface was “being assessed by a specialist engineer for damages”.
A diversion is in place via A-roads.
AIRPORTS
Leeds Bradford Airport warned passengers last night that disruption caused by the bad weather is likely to continue into Monday.
Manchester Airport has reopened both its runways but has warned “some departures and arrivals may still experience delays”.
Posting on X the airport adds: “Please check with your airline for the latest flight information and allow extra time for your journey today.
“We would like to thank our teams for their hard work in getting the runways operational again.”
However, Liverpool John Lennon Airport reopened its runway yesterday and flights are operating as normal, though the weather is leading to some disruptions.
And Newcastle said on Sunday its runway is fully cleared.
Flooding and trees have also blocked various rail line.
The CrossCountry and East Midlands Railway is closed between Nottingham and Grantham due to flooding at Elton & Orston.
More flooding has also blocked all lines between Peterborough and Leicester.
National Rail says heavy rain flooding the railway between Worcester Shrub Hill and Hereford has closed some lines leading to delays and cancellations.
A tree has fallen on the Southeastern line between Ramsgate and Canterbury West, with disruption expected to last until 9am.
Most services on the London Underground are open and running a good service – apart from the Piccadilly Line between Uxbridge and Rayners Lane which has been shut since November due to damage caused by leaf fall.
5-day weather forecast
Today:
Rain and snow clears eastwards, with brighter skies to follow. Staying cold in brisk northerly winds, with wintry showers bringing hail, sleet and snow showers expected throughout the day. Gales around some coasts.
Tonight:
Some clear spells developing but further wintry showers expected across the north and west, with a few moving across central areas. Widespread frost expected with a rick of ice.
Tuesday:
More sunny spells with wintry showers in the north and along windward coasts. Southern areas becoming fine and dry but winds staying strong along the coasts.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Cold with a mixture of sunny spells and wintry showers, these most frequent in the north and northwest. A more prolonged period of snow in the south possible on Wednesday.