Amber rain warnings – December 2020
Author: Press Office
11:46 (UTC) on Fri 18 Dec 2020
It’s a wet, but mild day for many today, especially in parts of Devon, Cornwall and South Wales where Amber rain warnings are in place.
National Severe Weather Warning
There are three Yellow rain warnings also in place across a wider swathe of the South West, much of Wales (valid until 3am and 5am tomorrow) and parts of Cumbria (valid until 5am).
⚠️ Amber rain warnings issued ⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 18, 2020
Wales: Valid now until 2359
SW England: Valid today 1115-2359
Heavy rain will cause flooding in these areas, and difficult travelling conditions
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Heavy rainfall
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Neil Armstrong said: “The parts of Devon, Cornwall and South Wales within the Amber warning areas (valid until midnight tonight) can expect periods of heavy rainfall today with 40-60 mm falling quite widely, mainly over higher ground.
“However, some parts of Dartmoor and South Wales could see as much as 80-100 mm of rainfall with some localised flooding”.
Check with the Environment Agency or Natural Resources Wales to find out what the risk is in your area.
Flood risk
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “The threat of flooding is now very real in parts of south Wales and the south west of England, meaning drivers need to take extreme care and be ready for conditions to change rapidly. The simple message is – never put yourselves or your passengers at risk. If you reach a flooded road and can’t be certain how deep the water is and whether you can pass safely, turn around and find another route.”
Upcoming forecast
It will stay showery and mild for many over the coming weekend. Looking further ahead there is still some uncertainty around the fine details of the weather for early next week but there is likely to be some unsettled conditions with mild, wet and windy weather focused in the south and colder, more showery weather further north. As we head towards Christmas colder, drier air is expected to spread southwards across the country.
Stay connected
You can check the latest weather warnings on our severe weather warnings pages and you can get the most accurate and up to date forecast for your area using our forecast pages and by following us on Twitter and Facebook, as well as using our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store.
Government guidelines
Whatever the weather we are all being urged to remember the Government Coronavirus guidelines.