Flood warnings remain in place across West Midlands as cold weather alert issued
Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire are still feeling the impact.
Last updated 6th Jan 2024
Dozens of flood warnings remain in place across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire today (6 December) as conditions continue to cause problems.
While the Met Office predicts the wet weather has passed - water levels remain high and colder temperatures are predicted for the next few days.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow cold weather alert.
The Environment Agency had 244 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, in place across England on Saturday - down from more than 300 on Friday morning.
There were a further 262 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, in place across England and nine in Wales.
Data from the Environment Agency showed almost every river in England has reached exceptionally high levels with some reaching record levels.
The Environment Agency said the River Severn was expected to have reached its peak at Gloucester Docks, and further upstream in Worcester, on Friday evening.
The Environment Agency said "significant river flooding impacts" were expected on Saturday across parts of the Midlands on the River Trent and in Gloucester.
Frosty and foggy conditions to come
The Met Office predicted Saturday would bring a dry day to most areas with some sunny spells, although with a few showers along the coast and feeling cold with frost and fog patches overnight.
It said temperatures will drop to minus 4C in parts of rural south-west England on Saturday night and minus 6C in rural areas along the Welsh border in Shropshire and north Herefordshire on Sunday night.
Sunday is forecast to remain largely dry, except for the occasional shower in southeast England early in the day, with the cold weather continuing for much of the next week.
The UKHSA has issued a yellow cold weather alert for the vulnerable and elderly from 9am on Saturday until noon on January 12 with temperatures likely to be a few degrees below average across much of the UK, especially overnight, with ice an issue on wet ground.
Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said: "As the prevailing weather conditions will be characterised by high pressure, a good deal of settled weather is likely.
"Clearer skies and a marked reduction in precipitation are expected, although any showers that do occur are likely to be wintry in nature.
Government response
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak insisted people should be "reassured" by the response to flooding, but Labour accused the Government of being "asleep at the wheel" over flood warnings with leader Sir Keir Starmer vowing to make flood defences "fit for purpose", writing on social media that "people's lives shouldn't be upended by extreme rain".
Lib Dem MP for North Shropshire and spokeswoman for housing and communities Helen Morgan called on Mr Sunak to visit affected areas, saying: "The Prime Minister should see for himself the devastation caused by these floods."