Storm Babet map shows where heavy rain is set to hit UK this week | UK News

Britain is bracing for Storm Babet – the second storm of the season – with fears a red ‘danger to life’ warning could be issued.

Storm Babet is expected to bring torrential rain, high winds and flooding to most of the country for the rest of the week.

A four-day yellow weather warning has already been issued by the Met Office across most of Scotland, eastern Northern Ireland, north-eastern England, Yorkshire, the East Midlands and East Anglia.

The weather warning began at 6am today and then expands over the course of the week, ending at 6am on Saturday.

Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said: ‘A disruptive period of weather is on the way.

‘There’s some high totals [of rain] which have the potential to disrupt travel plans… possibility of power cuts as well as the obvious risk of flooding.

‘As you look at Wednesday, the first pulse of rain is looking to particularly influence Northern Ireland, Wales and the southwest of England, and into Thursday.

‘But it’s as you move from Thursday and into the week that shift very much focuses more towards central and eastern Scotland, but also some central and eastern areas of England as well.’

He added more weather warnings are likely to be announced in the coming days.

It is feared some warnings in Scotland may reach amber or even red – which is only issued for dangerous weather and when it is ‘very likely there will be a risk to life’.

The Met Office has issued a map showing the storm as it first appeared in Cornwall and Wales this morning.

Around 150 to 200mm of rain is expected to fall on parts of Scotland, and parts of England will see more than 100mm of rainfall.

Scotland typically sees 168mm of rainfall in October, but the country will receive more than this amount over just a few days.

This heavy rain may cause ‘fast-flowing and deep floodwater’ that could pose a ‘danger to life’.

The Met Office added there is a chance of gas, water and mobile phone signals being disrupted, and warned driving conditions will be difficult.

Some areas may see 70mph gale-force winds, particularly in the North and near the coast.

Flood duty manager for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency David Morgan said: ‘Storm Babet will bring heavy rain and high winds across Scotland from Wednesday evening, starting in the south west before moving across to the north east through Thursday and into the weekend.

‘Flood alerts and warnings will be issued as required, and we continue to work with the Met Office to monitor the situation 24/7.’

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has warned people to exercise ‘extreme caution’, particularly along exposed cliffs, seafronts and piers.

Red weather warnings are rare and the last one was issued in November 2021, during Storm Arwen in Scotland.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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