This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/24/wet-weather-sweeps-across-uk
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Wet weather sweeps across UK | Wet weather sweeps across UK |
| (4 months later) | |
| Wild, wet weather has swept into the UK from the Atlantic bringing winds of up to 70mph and causing three deaths as roads turned treacherous and trees and branches were blown down. | Wild, wet weather has swept into the UK from the Atlantic bringing winds of up to 70mph and causing three deaths as roads turned treacherous and trees and branches were blown down. |
| A woman from New Zealand was killed in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in south-west London on Sunday when 30mph gusts dislodged a large branch. She was pronounced dead at the scene. | A woman from New Zealand was killed in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in south-west London on Sunday when 30mph gusts dislodged a large branch. She was pronounced dead at the scene. |
| The other fatalities were at Crimpelsham in Norfolk where a woman and a toddler, both eastern European nationals living locally, died when the BMW in which they were passengers left the road and hit a tree. | The other fatalities were at Crimpelsham in Norfolk where a woman and a toddler, both eastern European nationals living locally, died when the BMW in which they were passengers left the road and hit a tree. |
| Warnings were issued of fiercer winds and the chance of flooding in 88 areas of the south-west, midlands and north-east. | Warnings were issued of fiercer winds and the chance of flooding in 88 areas of the south-west, midlands and north-east. |
| For once, the rough conditions have played the UK an even hand with miserable weather expected almost everywhere as at least four different fronts jostle their way across the country. The Meteorological Office's second most urgent warning level – amber for 'be prepared' – forms four lozenges on an overall pattern of yellow – 'be aware', which continues all day and into Tuesday. | For once, the rough conditions have played the UK an even hand with miserable weather expected almost everywhere as at least four different fronts jostle their way across the country. The Meteorological Office's second most urgent warning level – amber for 'be prepared' – forms four lozenges on an overall pattern of yellow – 'be aware', which continues all day and into Tuesday. |
| One front has moved from the south-west, which was given an "absolute deluge" overnight according to the Met Office, to Kent and Sussex where Liberal Democrat delegates at the party's conference are advised to use umbrellas – and the kind that won't be blown inside out. The other three 'be prepared' areas are moving from Wales into the Midlands, across the northern Pennines into North Yorkshire, Durham and Northumbria and from Northern Ireland across to Lancashire and Cumbria. | One front has moved from the south-west, which was given an "absolute deluge" overnight according to the Met Office, to Kent and Sussex where Liberal Democrat delegates at the party's conference are advised to use umbrellas – and the kind that won't be blown inside out. The other three 'be prepared' areas are moving from Wales into the Midlands, across the northern Pennines into North Yorkshire, Durham and Northumbria and from Northern Ireland across to Lancashire and Cumbria. |
| Unsettled and often windy weather is expected to plague much of the country for the next fortnight before drier conditions return. Temperatures are predicted to be some consolation for all the wet, with little in the way of fierce cold and slightly warmer than average conditions expected by the second week in October. | Unsettled and often windy weather is expected to plague much of the country for the next fortnight before drier conditions return. Temperatures are predicted to be some consolation for all the wet, with little in the way of fierce cold and slightly warmer than average conditions expected by the second week in October. |
| Tom Tobler, forecaster with MeteoGroup, predicted two-thirds of the average rainfall for the whole of September – 80mm (3.14ins) – could fall over southern Scotland and northern England on Monday and early on Tuesday, after an unusually dry month so far. | Tom Tobler, forecaster with MeteoGroup, predicted two-thirds of the average rainfall for the whole of September – 80mm (3.14ins) – could fall over southern Scotland and northern England on Monday and early on Tuesday, after an unusually dry month so far. |
| He said: "It will be almost a month's rainfall in certain areas. It is certainly a lot of rain. There will be some flooding. I imagine the figure for total rainfall in the month will get up to the average tomorrow, if not above it." | He said: "It will be almost a month's rainfall in certain areas. It is certainly a lot of rain. There will be some flooding. I imagine the figure for total rainfall in the month will get up to the average tomorrow, if not above it." |
| The Environment Agency's director of operations, David Jordan, said: "We are expecting flooding across the country into Monday and Tuesday. We strongly urge people to sign up to flood warnings, keep a close eye on local weather forecasts and be prepared for the possibility of flooding. We also ask that people stay safe, by staying away from swollen rivers and not attempting to drive through floodwater." | The Environment Agency's director of operations, David Jordan, said: "We are expecting flooding across the country into Monday and Tuesday. We strongly urge people to sign up to flood warnings, keep a close eye on local weather forecasts and be prepared for the possibility of flooding. We also ask that people stay safe, by staying away from swollen rivers and not attempting to drive through floodwater." |
| Commuter rail services in the south-west have been disrupted with trains to London cancelled as sections of track were hit by flooding near Exeter and Tiverton in Devon. The main A30 and A390 roads have been badly affected by the sheer quantity of rain that swept tons of clay and soil from fields on to the A390 at St Ive. | Commuter rail services in the south-west have been disrupted with trains to London cancelled as sections of track were hit by flooding near Exeter and Tiverton in Devon. The main A30 and A390 roads have been badly affected by the sheer quantity of rain that swept tons of clay and soil from fields on to the A390 at St Ive. |
| Train travellers were stranded for two hours in the Bristol area between the Severn Tunnel and Bristol Parkway station because of flooding in a tunnel. | Train travellers were stranded for two hours in the Bristol area between the Severn Tunnel and Bristol Parkway station because of flooding in a tunnel. |
| Flooding also rendered the line between Exeter St Davids and Taunton impassable. Bus services were laid on but struggled to get through flooded roads. Further north, there were rail delays between Rhyl and Chester. | Flooding also rendered the line between Exeter St Davids and Taunton impassable. Bus services were laid on but struggled to get through flooded roads. Further north, there were rail delays between Rhyl and Chester. |
| Rail services were also being badly affected between Chester and Crewe, Hereford and Shrewsbury and the Central Wales line from Swansea and Shropshire. | Rail services were also being badly affected between Chester and Crewe, Hereford and Shrewsbury and the Central Wales line from Swansea and Shropshire. |
| Several schools were closed in Shropshire while in Herefordshire firefighters in boats had to rescue stranded motorists from their cars. By lunchtime Avon fire and rescue service had received more than 200 calls relating to flooding. | Several schools were closed in Shropshire while in Herefordshire firefighters in boats had to rescue stranded motorists from their cars. By lunchtime Avon fire and rescue service had received more than 200 calls relating to flooding. |
| Police forces urged motorists to take care. A spokesperson for the Avon and Somerset force said drivers should only venture out if they really had to: "We are warning motorists to take particular care as they travel today following heavy rainfall in the area," the spokesperson said. | Police forces urged motorists to take care. A spokesperson for the Avon and Somerset force said drivers should only venture out if they really had to: "We are warning motorists to take particular care as they travel today following heavy rainfall in the area," the spokesperson said. |
| "There have been reports of spray and surface water across Avon and Somerset. Please allow extra time for your journey and consider if you really need to travel this morning. If you do, motorists are reminded to avoid going through deep water – a small number of motorists have already become stranded in their vehicles." | "There have been reports of spray and surface water across Avon and Somerset. Please allow extra time for your journey and consider if you really need to travel this morning. If you do, motorists are reminded to avoid going through deep water – a small number of motorists have already become stranded in their vehicles." |
| Other areas particularly badly hit included the low-lying Somerset Levels, parts of Herefordshire and Dorset. | Other areas particularly badly hit included the low-lying Somerset Levels, parts of Herefordshire and Dorset. |
| Roads in parts of south Wales were also badly affected. Fire crews were called to help pump out flood water in Monmouth. | Roads in parts of south Wales were also badly affected. Fire crews were called to help pump out flood water in Monmouth. |
| A lifeboat from Rye in Sussex went to the aid of a fishing boat that was swamped shortly after leaving the harbour on Monday morning. Other fishing crews helped the rescue and the boat was secured with no injuries. . | A lifeboat from Rye in Sussex went to the aid of a fishing boat that was swamped shortly after leaving the harbour on Monday morning. Other fishing crews helped the rescue and the boat was secured with no injuries. . |
| On the east Yorkshire coast a survey has shown that annual erosion of 1.7 metres (5.5ft) each year has increased in the last six months to almost 7 metres (22ft) in places, probably because of the level of rainfall destabilising the soil. | On the east Yorkshire coast a survey has shown that annual erosion of 1.7 metres (5.5ft) each year has increased in the last six months to almost 7 metres (22ft) in places, probably because of the level of rainfall destabilising the soil. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |