Storm Dennis: This weekend’s storm could be ‘step up’ from Ciara

Storm Dennis could flood hundreds of homes across the UK this weekend, according to the Environment Agency, with many areas facing huge amounts of rain.

The UK is also bracing for more transport disruption as the “perfect storm” approaches, bringing gusts of up to 70mph (113kmh).

Amber warnings for rain are in place for 24 hours from Saturday afternoon in the North West and south of England, and southern Wales.

The storm could bring a month’s rain in one day.

The Met Office says it poses a greater risk of widespread flooding than Storm Ciara the weekend before.

Storm Ciara left 800 properties flooded in England alone, according to the Environment Agency.

John Curtin, the agency’s executive director of flood and coastal risk management, said it could be a “perfect storm” and “a step up from what we have seen before”.

There will be a heightened risk of flooding in parts of West and North Yorkshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey and Kent.

As of 9.30pm on Friday, there were 12 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – and 141 flood alerts, which means flooding is possible.

Delays and cancellations to transport are also expected, with Network Rail warning that tracks in the North West could be particularly at risk due to the ground being waterlogged since last week.

Jake Kelly, the Network Rail passenger director, said Storm Ciara had disrupted services after it “dumped a month-and-a-half of rain on us”.

He said he was “preparing for more of the same”.

Driving conditions are also expected to be treacherous as the rain will “significantly reduce visibility”, according to the AA.

It warned people to slow down, allow greater stopping distances and watch out for potential hazards.

The worst-affected areas will see more than 100mm (3.94in) of rain in one day, while between 40-80mm (1.7in-3.1in) is likely in other parts of the UK.

“Even in London and parts of the South East there could be three quarters of a month’s rainfall,” Tom Morgan from the Met Office told Sky News.

The Environment Agency’s flood duty manager, Caroline Douglas, said her teams were out preparing, but advised people to watch for alerts online and warned against trying to drive or walk through floodwater.

She said: “We will continue to monitor weather and river levels closely and we are preparing to issue flood warnings to communities at risk to help them take action and stay safe.”

Yellow warnings for wind and rain are also in place for the whole of England and southern Scotland on Saturday, which will spread to cover the entire UK by Sunday.

Wind gusts of up to 70mph can be expected – particularly in coastal areas.

The Met Office’s Alex Deakin said the wind was not expected to be as strong as that from Storm Ciara, but that it was still likely to cause “disruption”.

By Monday, most of the weather warnings will have lifted. However, the whole of Scotland will remain under a yellow wind warning until midday.

(c) Sky News 2020: Storm Dennis: This weekend’s storm could be ‘step up’ from Ciara