Weather warning: Twice the average June rainfall expected in just one week
Written by News on 11/06/2019
Commuters in some parts of the UK are being warned of difficult travelling conditions this morning after heavy rain on Monday, with more forecast.
The South East was worse hit – in Kent all lines through Orpington railway station for several hours because of flooding, while police shut a section of the M25 overnight after discovering two sinkholes on the central reservation.
Kent Police’s Roads Policing Unit tweeted: “M25 jct 4-5 closed as a result of a single vehicle RTC which in turn has lead to the discovery of 2 sinkholes in the central Reservation.”
The motorway was closed in both directions and Highways England warned it was expected to remain shut throughout Tuesday morning’s rush hour.
The worst of the rain is now heading north with the Midlands and northeast England expecting the heaviest downpours.
Some areas set to see up to 60mm of rain, particularly over the first half of the day, according to the Met Office.
Another warning covers Devon and Somerset, where similar conditions are expected.
The Environment Agency has issued three flood warnings in southeast England, for the River Wandle at Morden, south London, the Emm Brook at Wokingham and Ravensbourne at Bromley.
A total of 31 flood alerts – which mean flooding is possible – are in place across the country.
On Wednesday and Thursday, some parts of the UK could be struck by 60mm to 80mm of rain, and possibly even up to 100mm.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill described the figures as the “worst-case scenarios” but added that people need “to be aware that we’re in for some treacherous weather”
“If you add it all up some places are likely to see over 100mm this week, which is around double the average they would get in the whole of June,” he said.
(c) Sky News 2019: Weather warning: Twice the average June rainfall expected in just one week
