Environment Agency prepares for flooding as amber weather warning comes into force

Parts of Britain have been struck by more flash floods as the Met Office warns of more heavy rain throughout the evening and into Friday morning.

The forecaster has issued an amber warning for areas of the Midlands and south of the country, which came into force at 6pm on Thursday and will last for 12 hours.

Yellow rain warnings had already been in place for large parts of England and Wales and western parts of Northern Ireland.

Areas affected by the amber warning - including Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and the West Midlands - could see 30-40mm of rainfall within three hours, according to the forecaster.

Parts of Hitchin have been struck by flooding, with North Herts Police confirming the closure of Cambridge Road in the town centre.

Parts of Solihull have also been hit, with West Midlands Railway warning of disruption and cancellations.

As of 6.17pm, the Environment Agency had 38 flood warnings in place across England, meaning flooding is expected, and 105 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible.

Areas of Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire are listed as being the most vulnerable.

The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (Toro) is also forecasting that much of the South East could see lightning, winds up to 50mph and even "isolated brief tornadoes".

This includes much of East Anglia, the south-east Midlands and central southern England.

The Met Office said: "Slow moving showers and thunderstorms will develop through the afternoon, merging into a large band of heavy rain through the evening, before clearing slowly south overnight.

"Some places, especially across central and eastern parts of the warning area, are likely to receive 30-40mm in three hours or less, and perhaps 50-60mm or more in around six hours.

"This rain will fall onto already saturated ground and affect communities recovering from recent flooding. Travel disruption and further flooding is likely, with rivers continuing to rise after the rain clears."

According to the warning, the weather could lead to difficult driving conditions and road closures, homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and there is a "good chance" some communities will be cut off due to floods.

Delays and cancellations to train and bus services and power cuts are also likely.

A spokesperson for the RAC warned drivers to be "aware of the increased risks of flooding", adding: "Never attempt to drive through floodwater. If a road appears flooded, the safest thing to do is turn around and find another route.

"Wet roads also increase the likelihood of aquaplaning, where a vehicle's tyres glide on top of a thin layer of water, losing grip on the road and causing a loss of control. We strongly advise drivers to keep their speeds down and avoid standing water wherever possible."

Parts of the country saw more than the monthly average rainfall on Monday, with flash flooding damaging homes and disrupting travel.

There were further downpours on Wednesday evening.

Around 385 properties were flooded in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Kent and the Home Counties, according to the Environment Agency.

Kate Marks, flood duty manager at the agency, said: "Heavy rainfall across the country means that significant river and surface water flooding impacts are possible in parts of central England today and into Friday. Minor river flooding impacts are also possible in parts of north-east England today and Friday.

"Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, supporting local authorities in responding to surface water flooding. We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water - it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.

"People should check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation as well as following @EnvAgency on X for the latest flood updates."

The rain is expected to clear during Friday leaving conditions much colder on Saturday.

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