UK weather: Flash floods leave cars underwater as some areas see more than a month’s rainfall
Parts of the UK were struck by flash flooding after some areas saw more than a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy rain left parts of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and London submerged, flooding properties and causing widespread travel disruption.
At least 45 houses flooded across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Kent and the Home Counties, according to the Environment Agency.
As of 7pm, 22 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, had been issued for England by the agency.
The A421 in Bedfordshire was closed in both directions between the A6 Bedford and M1 J13 near Marston Moretaine, according to National Highways, and the A5 in Buckinghamshire was closed northbound between the A421 Bletchley/Stadium MK and the A509 at Milton Keynes due to flooding.
Follow live weather updates: UK on alert for ‘significant flooding’
Some schools in Bedfordshire were also closed, with an update on Central Bedfordshire Council’s website citing water ingress/flooding as being the reason for the closure.
The London Underground’s District Line was not running between Turnham Green and Richmond due to flooding caused by heavy rain, while other Tube lines in London were also partly suspended throughout the day.
London Fire Brigade said its 999 control office took around 350 calls about flooding across the capital.
Firefighters attended incidents including rescuing people trapped in cars, assisting people from their homes and responding to flooding in underground stations, roadways, residences and commercial properties, in Ruislip, Uxbridge, Wimbledon and Carshalton.
AFC Wimbledon and Newcastle’s Carabao Cup third-round meeting on Tuesday has been called off due to “extensive overnight flooding” at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
The Cherry Red Records Stadium in Wimbledon, which appeared to have a sinkhole in the pitch, has been closed as a result, with a rescheduled date for the tie yet to be confirmed.
A yellow alert for rain came into effect at midnight on Sunday and will last all day on Monday, covering parts of Wales, much of the south of England, the Midlands and spreading into northwest England and Yorkshire.
An amber warning came into force at 8.15am and will last until 9pm on Monday.
Initially it covered Worcester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Hull, but an update from the Met Office said the warning area had shifted further south and southwest to include Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Buckinghamshire.
Forecasters said there may be more warnings in the week ahead.
Environment Agency flood duty manager Sarah Cook said “persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms” could lead to some property flooding and travel disruption.
She said: “Persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms could lead to significant surface water flooding on Monday across parts of England.
“The impacts could include localised flooding in urban areas and fast-responding catchments, including some property flooding as well as travel disruption. The risk from river flooding remains low.
“We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.”
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Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson said parts of the South were hammered with nearly two months of heavy rainfall on Sunday.
Many places have basked in higher-than-average temperatures over the last few weeks – but that was probably summer’s last hurrah as autumn beds in.
Monday’s downpours are forecast to ease overnight into Tuesday, but the rain is set to be persistent for many this week.
“Through Wednesday and Thursday, unsettled weather is set to return as frontal systems move in from the Atlantic, bringing showers or longer spells of rain to many parts of the UK,” said Met Office deputy chief meteorologist David Oliver.
Meanwhile, Sunday also marked the autumnal equinox – when the day and night are the same length.
Astronomers regard it as the start of the season but weather forecasters generally count autumn as beginning on 1 September.
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