The rainiest day on record in UK

Commuters have been warned to check their local weather forecast before attempting to travel as heavy rain sweeps across the UK today.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for most of England and parts of Wales amid fears of flooding, says The Telegraph.

The weather warning said: “Fast flowing or deep floodwater is possible, causing a danger to life, and some communities may be cut off by flooded roads.”

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Delays to trains and buses were also expected, as were difficult driving conditions, possible power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses.

The heavy rain is the result of a burst of low pressure moving over the UK, along with warm and humid air linked to Hurricane Humberto, which hit the Bermuda coastline last week.

Forecasters predicted that England and Wales would be hit by 30mm (1.2in) to 50mm (2in) of rain in a short burst on Tuesday, and up to 70mm (2.75in) in some isolated areas.

The poor weather is expected to clear by Wednesday, although a low-pressure front is forecast to remain for the rest of the week.

But as miserable as the weather is now, it is far from the worst that Britain has experienced.

What was the wettest day in the UK?

The wettest day in the UK was on 18 July 1955, when Martinstown in the English county of Dorset was deluged by 279mm (11in) rainfall in a 24-hour period.

Argyll and Bute holds the Scottish record, with 238mm (9.4in) on 17 January 1974, while Glamorgan in Wales was drenched by 211mm (8.3in) of rain on 11 November 1929.

Northern Ireland’s wettest day was on 31 October 1968, when 159mm (6.3in) of rainfall was recorded in County Down.

Where was the wettest day ever in the world?

The World Meteorological Organisation says the wettest 24 hours on record was between 7 and 8 January 1966 in Foc-Foc, a plateau on the French overseas territory of La Reunion, near Madagascar.

In that short space of time, Reunion had 1825mm (72in) of rainfall - equivalent to 6ft of rain.