If you’ve stepped out of the house in your big winter coat this past week, you’ve probably noticed something quite strange. It’s not that cold… Temperatures have unseasonably hovered in the mid to high teens in recent days (making it very difficult to know how many layers to wear when leaving the house). The unexpected weather is continuing through today and into the weekend as Storm Claudia brings heavy rain to London and other parts of the country.
The Met Office has issued yellow and amber warnings across the UK for wind and rain. The warnings are in effect for much of the Midlands and Southern areas of England, as well as Wales and portions of Yorkshire & Humber.
What does the weather warning mean for London?
The yellow warning in effect for London warns of “[heavy] and prolonged rain during Friday into early Saturday”. There’s a chance that this rain “may lead to some flooding and disruption”.
The warning is in effect from 6 am on Friday, November 14, until 6am on Saturday, November 15.
Rain is expected to be prolonged and heavy rain throughout Friday. It’s then expected to ease on Saturday morning. The rain will be accompanied by strong easterly winds.
The arrival of the rain will also mark a departure from the warm temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately. A cold snap will hit the city, with temperatures dropping below 10°C from next week onwards.
What about the rest of the UK?
The yellow weather warning expands beyond London in all directions. Affected areas include the East Midlands, East of England, London & South East England, North West England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands, and Yorkshire & Humber. Most of the other affected areas have the same weather warning in place as London.
Since we last reported on the weather warnings, the storm has been named – Storm Claudia – and the likelihood of impacts has increased. Some parts of the country have had the warning raised from yellow to amber, and yellow weather warnings for wind are now in place for areas in Wales, North West England, and the West Midlands.
The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings for portions of Wales, as well as the East Midlands, stretching to Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Milton Keynes, and nearby areas.
The most severe amber warning is in effect for the following areas in Wales:
- Blaenau Gwent
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Newport
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Torfaen
For these areas, the Met Office predicts “persistent and heavy during Friday… exacerbated by strong easterly winds, as well as thunderstorms later Friday afternoon and evening.”
Keep up to date with the Met Office’s forecasts and weather warnings here.