Met Office warns of ‘treacherous weather’ as rain lashes UK

The Met Office is predicting further “treacherous weather” for the UK after amber weather alerts were issued warning of flooding, transport disruption and a potential risk to life and property across the south-east.

There have been warnings of flooding, transport disruption and a potential risk to life and property as Britain sulks under grey skies and heavy downpours during the first month of summer.

As a month’s rain is expected to fall in just two days, the Express says thunder and lighting have “pounded the UK,” while the Evening Standard says “heavy downpours” have “battered the country,” and the Daily Mail adds that the M20 motorway has “disappeared underwater”.

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Parts of the M25 were closed overnight after an accident between junctions four and five, near Sevenoaks, led to the discovery of two sinkholes on the central reservation. Highways England said it was assessing the “serious road defect” and the M25 would remain closed this morning.

Yellow warnings were in place today for Exmoor and a large area of eastern and north-eastern England, where rainfall is forecast to reach 60mm. It is predicted that on Wednesday and Thursday, those regions and northern Wales could be struck by up to 100mm of rain.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill described the forecasts as the “worst-case scenarios” but added that people need “to be aware that we’re in for some treacherous weather”.

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency’s John Curtin has warned there could be “issues all week” because the heaviest downpours were still to come. The overall flood risk has been set at “medium”.

A total of 31 flood alerts - which mean flooding is possible - are in place across the country and the Environment Agency has issued three flood warnings in southeast England, for the River Wandle at Morden, south London, the Emm Brook at Wokingham and Ravensbourne at Bromley.

The Daily Mail says police in Kent have issued a warning to drivers telling them to not travel unless completely necessary, after the force received several reports of roads being flooded overnight.