Thursday, December 27, 2012

Atlantic storm to hit Britain bringing another two inches of rain and 60mph winds before the New Year



  • Flooding expected across Britain, with 312 warnings and alerts out

  • The South West, Midlands and Anglia still most at risk

  • Landslide warnings in coastal areas


By Steve Robson


PUBLISHED: 04:42 EST, 27 December 2012 | UPDATED: 04:49 EST, 27 December 2012


An Atlantic storm sweeping in from Iceland will bring an end to one of the wettest years in history in Britain, with more rain expected in areas already hit by flooding.


An inch of rain fell overnight in Cumbria as more heavy downpours are set to continue today and tomorrow.


There will be bursts of sunshine throughout the weekend but stormy showers will plague Britain until the New Year.


In St Ives Cambridgeshire some residents awoke to find small boats in their back gardens after the Great Ouse burst its banks today

In St Ives Cambridgeshire some residents awoke yesterday to find small boats in their back gardens after the Great Ouse burst its banks



In St Ives Cambridgeshire some residents awoke to find small boats in their back gardens after the Great Ouse burst its banks today

The water levels were so deep home-owners were trapped indoors, with the only way out by boat



Toppled: A woman was rescued from a flooded car in Danbury, pictured, as Essex County Fire & Rescue Service were called to the aid of more than 100 motorists over Christmas

Toppled: A woman was rescued from a flooded car in Danbury, pictured, as Essex County Fire & Rescue Service were called to the aid of more than 100 motorists over Christmas



Frightening: More heavy rain left roads impassable in Essex, pictured, where four flood warnings are in force

Frightening: More heavy rain left roads impassable in Essex, pictured, where four flood warnings are in force



Essex County Fire and Rescue Service were called to over 100 incidents of motorists with cars stuck in floodwater

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service were called to over 100 incidents of motorists with cars stuck in floodwater





Pictured lock gates overflowing nr. Danbury


A woman was rescued nr. Danbury


River rapids: Lock gates overflowed near Danbury as downpours pushed flood defences to breaking point




We're going to a need a bigger boat: Only those with barges and ships appear to be safe this Christmas, with seven inches of rain expected by Saturday

We're going to a need a bigger boat: Only those with barges and ships appear to be safe this Christmas



Sleet and snow will also fall across the north of England and southern Scotland today, with Perth receiving a few centimetres this morning already.


With many areas already saturated, the prospect of more heavy showers means there may be further flooding in the next week.


The South-West of England remains the worst affected and forecasters have warned of 'dangerous conditions' in coastal areas.


A forecaster said: 'News bands of rain will sweep across Britain from west to east today, tomorrow and Saturday bringing some heavy showers.


'There will be some sunshine and clearer skies on Saturday but it will be a stormy weekend and noticeably wet and windy.


'Winds will reach up to 50 mph in the north and west of the UK, and up to 90mph along the west coast of Scotland.'


Paddles at the ready: A canoeist makes his way down Worcester racecourse after the River Severn was measured at 5.25 metres, its highest since 2008

Time for a paddle: A canoeist makes his way down Worcester racecourse after the River Severn was measured at 5.25 metres, its highest since 2008



Alternative route: Many chose to ditch their usual modes of transport today, with Midland rail services and Tube lines affected by the flooding

Alternative route: Many chose to ditch their usual modes of transport yesterday, with Midland rail services and Tube lines affected by the flooding



Ocean spray: Walkers brave the waves lashing the Cobb at Lyme Regis today, A man-made sea wall has been holding back the tide in the spot since 1313, with the present structure built in 1824

Ocean spray: Walkers brave the waves lashing the Cobb at Lyme Regis today, A man-made sea wall has been holding back the tide in the spot since 1313, with the present structure built in 1824



The Boxing Day walk did not hold quite the same charm as usual for these families in Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire

The Boxing Day walk did not hold quite the same charm as usual for these families in Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire



But walking seemed to be the only way to get around the village, which was one of many flooded across the region

But walking seemed to be the only way to get around the village, which was one of many flooded across the region



The picturesque village was flooded after the nearby River Ouse broke its banks

The picturesque village was flooded after the nearby River Great Ouse broke its banks



She added that some areas of the UK have had 'way above' their average annual rainfall this year with the south west hit particularly badly.


'It's going to be a wet and stormy end to the year,' she added.


The Environment Agency has issued 109 flood warnings and 213 less serious flood alerts for the UK as the risk of flooding continues.


However, the agency has removed 76 flood warnings and alerts in the last 24 hours.


The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has one flood alert in place around the Scottish Borders.


Rail and road networks were badly hit in the days leading up to Christmas, with a number of key routes struck by weather-related delays and National Rail warned of further disruption in the south-west today.


First Great Western trains today told people not to attempt travel today.


Hundreds of homes have flooded in the past week, with the worst-affected areas in south-west


England and along the south coast from Cornwall to Kent, along with Wales and northern Scotland.


The sodden Christmas comes towards the end of what is expected to be one of the wettest years in Britain since records began.


The UK's average rainfall in 2012, excluding December, was 1,202mm - placing it 13th in the list of wettest years since records began in 1910.


The year 2000 remains the UK's wettest year, with an average rainfall of 1,337.3mm.


But there's much more to come... A glorious start to Boxing Day in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, as the sun rises in an amber sky

But there's much more to come... A glorious start to Boxing Day in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, as the sun rises in an amber sky



Golden morning: Rustling grasses glitter in the breeze at dawn, with Christmas over for another year

Golden morning: Rustling grasses glitter in the breeze at dawn, with Christmas over for another year



Wild for Christmas: Fundraisers dressed as animals plunge into the cold North Sea for the annual Boxing Day dip in Saltburn, Cleveland

Wild for Christmas: Fundraisers dressed as animals plunge into the cold North Sea for the annual Boxing Day dip in Saltburn, Cleveland



Surf's up! A dog and diver wear bright red antlers as they lap up the last of the festive spirit

Surf's up! A dog and diver wear bright red antlers as they lap up the last of the festive spirit








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