The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain to bring the potential for some flooding and disruption to transport in Cornwall over the next couple of days.

Whilst some areas will miss the worst, areas of heavy, showery rain are expected to become widespread across a swathe of England and Wales during Thursday evening and on into Friday morning.

There is some uncertainty in the details, but some locations may see up 20-30 mm of rain in 2-3 hours and perhaps 40-60 mm in 4-6 hours.

Lightning and strong, gusty winds may be additional hazards, especially in southwest coastal areas. Given the recent very wet weather, this will bring the potential for further flooding and transport disruption.

The rain clears during Friday leaving a quieter but much colder interlude on Saturday, before a deep low pressure system approaches from the west on Sunday. Yellow National Severe Weather Warnings for rain have been issued for Thursday and Friday.

 

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “With the rain today and tomorrow potentially falling on already saturated ground a number of warnings for rain have been issued outlining the increased risks for potential impacts.”

“The highest rainfall totals are likely across the Pennines and North York Moors where 80-100mm could accumulate on Thursday, while others within the warning area could see 20-30mm quite widely. More severe weather warnings may be issued over the coming days so it’s important to check the latest forecast for your area”

After further outbreaks of rain in central and southern areas of the UK on Friday, it’ll turn cooler for much of the country ahead of the weekend, with a shift in the dominant weather regime.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Brent Walker said: “Things will be turning decidedly cooler into the weekend, with frost likely for much of the UK overnight on Friday and a more autumnal feel to daytime temperatures.

“A north-westerly flow of air is developing, bringing cooler Arctic air over the UK and dropping temperatures into the weekend before the next low-pressure system pushes across the country from the North Atlantic.

“This will bring the potential for some very wet and windy weather late on Sunday and into the start of next week, though there is much detail to be determined on the exact conditions so stay up to date with the latest forecast.”