Severe Flooding Hits England After Record Rainfall, More Storms Expected
Heavy rain across central and southern England over the past few days has left communities dealing with severe flooding and transport chaos. Some areas were hit with more than a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours, leading to road closures, power cuts, and disrupted rail services. While the worst of the downpours has now passed, flood warnings remain in place, and experts warn the impacts will continue to be felt for days to come.
Bedfordshire’s A421 named their “new river” due to flooding
Parts of Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, and Northamptonshire were particularly hard-hit, with Woburn in Bedfordshire recording over 142mm (5.6 inches) of rain in two days. Many rivers, including the River Great Ouse, have overflowed, and local communities are still dealing with rising water levels. In Bedfordshire, the A421 remains closed due to severe flooding, with locals dubbing the road "Bedfordshire’s new river."
Rail services hit by weather
Rail services have also been hit hard. Avanti West Coast trains are running at reduced speeds, and some services between Rugby and Milton Keynes have been cancelled due to waterlogged tracks. Network Rail engineers are still working to repair damaged signalling systems in Kent and Sussex, leading to continued disruption in those areas.
Yellow weather warning for Thursday
Looking ahead, the Met Office has issued a fresh yellow weather warning for Thursday, predicting heavy rain and strong winds in northern England and the north Midlands. The Pennines and North York Moors could see another 80-100mm of rain, adding to the already challenging conditions in many areas. Strong winds are also expected, particularly in coastal regions and high ground.
A drier Tuesday but flood warnings are still active across UK
Although Tuesday brought a brief reprieve from heavy rain, more than 25 flood warnings remain active across England. The Environment Agency is monitoring river levels closely as some areas could see further rises in water levels over the next few days. In addition, there are 65 flood alerts, indicating that flooding could still happen in many places.
Early Wednesday is forecast to be much drier, with sunny spells breaking through in some regions. However, another band of rain is expected to sweep across the country later on Wednesday, particularly affecting northern areas.
BBC Weather’s Matt Taylor cautioned that although the worst of the rain has passed, the water from the earlier downpours will take time to soak into the ground, meaning rivers may continue to rise for a while yet.
The Met Office also noted that cooler temperatures will arrive later in the week, as northerly winds bring a chill to the air. Highs of around 16°C (61°F) are forecast for southern England, with temperatures expected to decline further through Thursday.
Although parts of the country are starting to dry out, the flood warnings and alerts mean that many communities will be dealing with the aftermath of this severe weather for some time. The Environment Agency is urging people in affected areas to remain vigilant and to take precautions as floodwaters are expected to remain high.
