Flood warnings issued as heavy rain and Storm Ingrid hit parts of the UK
Large parts of the UK are facing flooding and travel disruption as heavy rain and strong winds trigger multiple weather warnings, including an amber alert in Scotland.
The Met Office has warned that eastern Scotland is at greatest risk, with prolonged downpours falling on already saturated ground. An amber warning is in force until 6pm on Thursday across areas including Perth and Kinross, Fife, Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Highlands. Forecasters say widespread rainfall of 60–80mm is likely, rising to 100–120mm over higher ground, with totals in some spots exceeding 150mm since midweek.
Met Office chief forecaster Dan Harris said: "Rain will turn increasingly persistent and heavy late on Wednesday and through much of Thursday for parts of Scotland, which has resulted in amber and yellow warnings for rain being issued. This is expected to lead to flooding in some places, with some rivers taking longer to respond to the rainfall and could lead to ongoing impacts through Thursday."
Homes and businesses could be flooded, with transport delays and power cuts possible. Nearly 160 flood warnings were in place across England, Scotland and Wales on Thursday morning.
Yellow warnings also cover much of eastern Scotland into Friday night, as well as Northern Ireland, south Wales, Somerset and parts of Devon and Dorset. These areas could see up to 20mm of rain on Thursday, increasing the risk of surface water flooding and disruption.
Travel has already been affected. ScotRail has imposed speed restrictions on routes between Perth and Inverness until Saturday morning, and between Aberdeen and Inverness until Friday lunchtime. Ferry operator CalMac has cancelled all Oban–Coll–Tiree sailings for Thursday, with further cancellations possible. High winds have also led to restrictions on the Forth Road Bridge, while drivers across Scotland are being urged to take extra care.
Looking ahead, conditions are set to worsen in the south-west as Storm Ingrid approaches on Friday. The storm, named by the Portuguese weather service, is expected to bring gusts of up to 60mph to south-west England and Wales, along with further heavy rain. A yellow warning will come into force early Friday and last into Saturday morning, with coastal flooding and large waves possible.
While Ingrid’s strongest impacts will be limited to the south-west, the rest of the UK will see colder air move in from the east over the weekend. Temperatures are expected to drop well below average, with a growing risk of wintry showers and snow early next week.
The Met Office says exact snowfall locations are still uncertain but warns that wintry hazards are increasingly likely as the cold snap develops.
