Unsettled weather continues towards the New Year
England provisional rainfall figures, from the Met Office's National Climate Information Centre, for the year up to 9am on Thursday 27 December show that England has had its wettest year on record.
Some regions of England have also broken annual rainfall records including the Midlands, East Anglia, East and Northeast England and Northern England. The UK as a whole however still needs 46 mm of rain over the last few days of December to break the annual record.
There is more heavy rain to come, particularly over western hills, on Friday night and Saturday morning. The northwest of Scotland will also see some very strong winds, perhaps reaching 85 mph in places. Yet more wet and windy weather is expected on Sunday night and Monday morning. However, the soggiest parts of England and Wales should get a chance to dry out a little in the New Year as high pressure builds from the south towards the end of next week.
Andy Page, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office said: "A particularly deep area of low pressure will bring another spell of wet and windy weather across the UK later on Friday and into Saturday. Around 15 to 25 mm of rain is likely quite widely across western parts of the UK but the heaviest and most persistent rain is expected over southwest facing hills where as much as 40 to 50 mm rain may fall.
"We have issued severe weather warnings for the heavy rain and gales and will be monitoring the situation to keep everyone up-to-date with the latest picture through our forecasts and warnings. By thinking ahead the public can be more weather aware and better prepared for severe weather."
Pete Fox, Flood Risk Manager at the Environment Agency, said: "Flooding is devastating at any time of year, but particularly at Christmas. Our thoughts are with all those who have flooded over the last week across the country. Unfortunately, more heavy rain is forecast for this weekend. As a result, we're urging people, particularly those in north Wales and western England, to remain vigilant to flooding.
"We're working around the clock to continue to protect homes and businesses from flooding and there are also things that people can do to protect themselves and their properties. If you're driving home this weekend, give yourself extra time to make your journey, check your route before travelling and avoid driving through flood water. Check the risk of flooding for your property and, if you're at risk, move valuable items to safety."
Source: British Met Office
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