The Met Office has issued a weather warning covering a large part of Wales, alerting residents to expect lightning, rain, and high winds. The unsettled weather is forecasted to persist, with the heaviest rain and strongest winds anticipated on Thursday night into Friday morning. This warning comes after a weekend and week of heavy rainfall in various parts of the UK.
Preliminary data indicates that some areas in Oxfordshire received over 100mm of rain on Monday, with South Newington recording 111.4mm of rainfall, more than double the county’s usual September average. Flooding from the heavy rain led to the evacuation of 43 individuals from a holiday park in Northamptonshire, with emergency services assisting until late Tuesday night.
The latest warning predicts that 20-30mm of rain could fall within two to three hours, potentially reaching 40-60mm in four to six hours in the most affected areas. The yellow warning is in effect from 5pm on Thursday until 10am on Friday, cautioning about widespread heavy, showery rain across England and Wales during Thursday evening and Friday morning.
Specific areas in Wales covered by the warning include Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, and Vale of Glamorgan. Friday is expected to bring more rain to central and southern regions of the UK, alongside some sunny intervals in the north.
As the weekend approaches, temperatures are set to decrease across the UK, with overnight frost likely in many areas. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Brent Walker highlighted the upcoming cooler weather and the potential for frost overnight. Showers may occur during the weekend, although dry conditions with sunny spells are expected for most regions.
Looking ahead, there is a possibility of further wet and windy weather towards the end of Sunday and the start of next week, although specific details are yet to be confirmed. Residents are advised to stay updated with the latest weather forecasts for any developments.