Roads turn to rivers in Wales as a month’s worth of rain falls in just over a day

Heavy rainfall has blocked railway lines and triggered a host of flood alerts as some parts of the UK were hit by more than a month’s worth of rain in a 26-hour period.

A stretch of seven Met Office weather warnings covering mostly western areas from Scotland south to Plymouth are in place this weekend as forecasters predict more wet conditions.

Senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said 127.6mm of rain fell at Llyn-y-Fan, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, between 6am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, and 115mm dropped at Treherbert in Mid-Glamorgan.

Mr Petagna said the average rainfall for the whole of February in South Wales was 98mm.

‘So they’ve had more than a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours,’ he said.

At Honister Pass in Cumbria, 112mm fell in the same period – the same amount as the February average for the region.

Further south at Princetown in Dartmoor, Devon, 72.2mm fell – around three quarters of the 100mm February average.

Railways lines in both Wales and the South-West of England were flooded, leading to rail delays and cancellations. 

On Saturday morning, Natural Resources Wales had 23 flood warnings in place, which advise immediate action, across the south of the country, on top of 41 flood alerts.

The Environment Agency had issued 12 flood warnings and 103 flood alerts across England, while the Scottish Environment Protection Agency had 35 flood warnings and 10 flood alerts in place.

However, in parts of the Home Counties to the north of London and Cambridgeshire temperatures were forecast to reach 61F (16C) today and 63F (17C) tomorrow, on a par with a number of Mediterranean cities. 

On Saturday morning, a woman was pictured braving the beach in her swimsuit at Southwold beach in Suffolk, East Anglia, while people in Sussex and Warwickshire were also seen enjoying the warmer weather. 

Heavy rainfall has triggered a host of flood alerts as some parts of the UK were hit by more than a month’s worth of rain in a 26-hour period. Pictured: Flooding in the village of Crickhowell, Powys, in Wales, where the Usk river has bust its banks

Flooding in the village of Crickhowell, Powys, where the Usk river has bust its banks. Flooding between Hereford, in Herefordshire, and Newport, in Wales, was also causing disruption to journeys on Saturday

Flooding in the village of Crickhowell, Powys, where the Usk river has bust its banks. Flooding between Hereford, in Herefordshire, and Newport, in Wales, was also causing disruption to journeys on Saturday

The National Rail Enquiries website was reporting disruption on rail networks in Wales and south-west England due to flooding on Saturday morning.

Flooding of the railway at Roche in Cornwall meant Great Western Railway trains were unable to run between Newquay and Par.

In Wales, flooded tracks between Abercynon and Merthyr Tydfil left all lines closed.

Buses were expected to replace trains between Pontypridd and Aberdare until the end of the day due to flooding of the railway between these stations.

Flooding between Hereford, in Herefordshire, and Newport, in Wales, was also causing disruption to journeys on Saturday.

Natural Resources Wales urged anyone leaving home for an essential journey on the weekend to be careful if they encounter floodwater.

Meanwhile Gwent Police reported that A4042 at Llanellen bridge in Monmouthshire was flooded, urging drivers to avoid the area.

A stretch of six Met Office weather warnings covering mostly western areas from Scotland south to Plymouth are in place this weekend as forecasters predict more wet conditions. Pictured: The flooding in the village of Crickhowell, Powys, in Wales, on Saturday

A stretch of six Met Office weather warnings covering mostly western areas from Scotland south to Plymouth are in place this weekend as forecasters predict more wet conditions. Pictured: The flooding in the village of Crickhowell, Powys, in Wales, on Saturday

Senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said 127.6mm of rain fell at Llyn-y-Fan, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, between 6am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, and 115mm dropped at Treherbert in Mid-Glamorgan. Pictured: The extent of flooding in Powys, Wales

Senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said 127.6mm of rain fell at Llyn-y-Fan, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, between 6am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, and 115mm dropped at Treherbert in Mid-Glamorgan. Pictured: The extent of flooding in Powys, Wales

Senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said 127.6mm of rain fell at Llyn-y-Fan, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, between 6am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, and 115mm dropped at Treherbert in Mid-Glamorgan. Pictured: The flooded roads in Crickhowell, Powys

Senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said 127.6mm of rain fell at Llyn-y-Fan, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, between 6am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, and 115mm dropped at Treherbert in Mid-Glamorgan. Pictured: The flooded roads in Crickhowell, Powys

Mr Petagna said the average rainfall for the whole of February in South Wales was 98mm. 'So they've had more than a month's worth of rain in 24 hours,' he said. Pictured: A flooded pub in Crickhowell, Powys

Mr Petagna said the average rainfall for the whole of February in South Wales was 98mm. ‘So they’ve had more than a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours,’ he said. Pictured: A flooded pub in Crickhowell, Powys

At Honister Pass in Cumbria, 112mm fell in the same period - the same amount as the February average for the region. Further south at Princetown in Dartmoor, Devon, 72.2mm fell - around three quarters of the 100mm February average. Pictured: The flooding in Crickhowell

At Honister Pass in Cumbria, 112mm fell in the same period – the same amount as the February average for the region. Further south at Princetown in Dartmoor, Devon, 72.2mm fell – around three quarters of the 100mm February average. Pictured: The flooding in Crickhowell

On Saturday morning, Natural Resources Wales had 23 flood warnings in place, which advise immediate action, across the south of the country, on top of 41 flood alerts. Pictured: Flooding in Builth Wells, Powys

On Saturday morning, Natural Resources Wales had 23 flood warnings in place, which advise immediate action, across the south of the country, on top of 41 flood alerts. Pictured: Flooding in Builth Wells, Powys

Natural Resources Wales urged anyone leaving home for an essential journey on the weekend to be careful if they encounter floodwater

Natural Resources Wales urged anyone leaving home for an essential journey on the weekend to be careful if they encounter floodwater

Mr Petagna said the recent wet conditions were ‘unusual’ and warned of further rain yet to come.

Within a Met Office amber weather warning for heavy, persistent rainfall, covering South Wales from 8pm on Friday to 6pm on Saturday, up to 200mm could drop in total.

Mr Petagna said more widely 30 to 70mm was forecast to fall in areas covered by the less severe yellow warnings, with all warnings expected to be adjusted to end on Saturday night.

But parts of Dartmoor could potentially see up to 150mm fall, he added.

Mr Petagna said ‘hilly areas exposed to the southerly winds’ were those that would see the highest totals of rainfall.

He said that, Sunday into Monday, the north and west of the country would see a ‘quieter spell’ but there was more wet and windy weather to come in those regions on Tuesday and Wednesday, with some further weather warnings likely.  

On Saturday morning, a woman was pictured braving the beach in her swimsuit at Southwold beach in Suffolk, East Anglia

On Saturday morning, a woman was pictured braving the beach in her swimsuit at Southwold beach in Suffolk, East Anglia

This man and woman enjoyed a socially-distanced conversation as they sat on separate benches in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

This man and woman enjoyed a socially-distanced conversation as they sat on separate benches in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

The sun's light at dawn illuminates the houseboats moored in Embankment Marina, Gravesend, Kent

The sun’s light at dawn illuminates the houseboats moored in Embankment Marina, Gravesend, Kent

A car causes a splash as it drives through a flooded road in Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire on Friday afternoon

A car causes a splash as it drives through a flooded road in Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire on Friday afternoon

Amid the rain warnings, the Met Office said some areas could expect 25-50mm, but south Wales is likely to see twice the normal rainfall for February over the weekend.  

Natural Resources Wales issued 25 flood warnings and 40 flood alerts on Saturday. 

Vehicles cause a splash as they are driven through a flooded road in Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire on Friday afternoon

Vehicles cause a splash as they are driven through a flooded road in Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire on Friday afternoon

Met Office senior meteorologist Marco Petagna said that the east of the country will have a much quieter weekend with mild temperatures up to 16C in the south-east, but with light and patchy rain on Sunday.

However, he warned that after a brief break in the rain there was more wet weather due next week.

He added: ‘There’s more rain to come going into next week.

‘There will be some respite Sunday and Monday but going into Tuesday there’s some more rainfall.

‘Again the west and north-west could see further rain developing.’