The UK is under a severe weather warning as Storm Babet will land this week. The second named storm of the season is forecast to bring “impactful heavy rain” across the country from Wednesday. The Met Office has already put a series of yellow warnings in place for areas of the country, including most of Scotland, eastern Northern Ireland, north-eastern England, and Yorkshire.
According to meteorologists, the storm could drop more than a month’s rain in just 24 hours. That’s enough to cause flooding, travel disruption, and damage to roads and power lines.
Those in the affected area are advised to keep up to date with flood warnings from their local flood warning agency and local councils. The Met Office warns that downpours could lead to fast-flowing floodwater, which could pose a risk of harm to people and animals.
Forecasters say it is likely that a red ‘danger to life’ warning will be issued for parts of the country as the weekend draws near. The Met Office warned that there is a chance of significant disruption to transport networks, homes, and businesses. It added that winds could reach 60mph, and up to 150mm of rain is expected to fall in some areas.
The Met Office said the storm will arrive on Wednesday, with the heaviest rain falling over counties Antrim and Down. It will then move on to the rest of the UK, bringing windy conditions with it, and could leave behind flooding and disrupting travel.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Steven Keates said: “The heavy rainfall is especially worrying because it will fall on ground saturated after recent rain. That means there is a real risk of flooding this week.”
More than a month’s worth of rain could be dumped in just one day, with the Met Office warning that a storm this big could see more than 75mm of waterfall in a single hour in some places. The Met Office has warned about a massive stretch of the country from Cambridge in the southeast to East Renfrewshire, Scotland.
A separate warning for the north of Ireland is also in effect, with the heaviest rain most likely over high ground. That warning covers the counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone. The warning will occur at 2 p.m. on Wednesday and remain in place until Thursday morning.
Forecasters have also warned that Storm Babet will bring a lot of wet stuff to the country’s south, particularly Devon. Council crews are already working to keep roads clear of surface water.
The storm has been named after a meteorological term meaning ‘bad wind.’ The name was submitted by the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), which partners with the Met Office to name storms. The KNMI takes submissions from the public and experts who work to protect the population from extreme weather.
