UK Alert: A Month’s Rain in 24 Hours

An amber weather alert has been issued across parts of England and Wales today as Storm Claudia moves in, bringing heavy rain and a risk of flooding.

Some regions could see as much as 150mm (6in) of rainfall, according to forecasters. The amber warning remains in effect from midday until midnight and includes areas of Wales, the Midlands, the South West, South East, and East of England.

Storm Claudia — named by Spain’s meteorological agency — has already prompted warnings in Spain and Portugal and is currently impacting the Canary Islands.

The Met Office has warned that the storm may cause flooding, travel disruption, and power outages. Under a wider yellow rain warning, many parts of southern Britain may receive 30–50mm (1.2–2in) of rain, while areas in east Wales and central England could see up to 80mm (3.1in). The far south of England is expected to avoid the heaviest downpours.

Because of the persistent easterly airflow, rain totals could be significantly higher over east-facing hills, potentially reaching 150mm in southeast Wales.

Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said:
"Storm Claudia will deliver very heavy rainfall across large areas of central and southern England and Wales from Friday into Saturday. The rain will become slow-moving, and some places could receive a month’s worth of rain within 24 hours."

Ireland’s Met Eireann has also issued rain warnings, particularly for the southeast, with wet conditions expected into the weekend.

Although the main threat is rainfall, the Met Office says strong easterly winds are also likely, with gusts of up to 70mph in parts of northwest Wales and northwest England.

Flood Alerts & Travel Warnings

The Environment Agency had three flood warnings in place at 2am — one for Keswick Campsite in the Lake District and two along the River Eden in Carlisle.

Floods Minister Emma Hardy acknowledged public concern, adding that she is in close contact with the Environment Agency as it works with emergency teams to protect vulnerable communities.

The AA has urged drivers to avoid travel unless essential, warning that conditions may deteriorate quickly. They emphasised the danger of driving through floodwater, noting that even shallow water can be hazardous.

Weekend Weather Outlook

By the weekend, colder air will move into northern parts of the UK, bringing overnight frost and a drier, brighter spell.

Further south, conditions will remain cloudy and wet on Saturday, though rain is expected to gradually clear, with colder, drier air spreading nationwide by early next week.

Temperatures are forecast to drop sharply next week, especially in northern and eastern regions, with the season’s first snowfall possible in some areas.

Impact in Spain and Portugal

Storm Claudia has already caused severe disruption on the continent. In eastern Portugal, an elderly couple died after their home flooded, according to the Portuguese Authority of Civil Protection.

Around half the country faced red and orange warnings on Thursday, with nearly 14,000 residents losing power.

Parts of Spain were also under yellow and orange weather alerts due to the storm.