A horse and rider wade through a flooded field at sunrise yesterday – but gloomy forecasts for today are only adding to the UK’s weather ‘whoas’.
Yellow warnings and flood alerts have been issued across the country as heavy rain is expected to continue falling on already saturated ground. That will make the going even harder for horses on the gallops at Granary Stables in Strensham, Worcs, owned by the aptly named Sam Drinkwater.
Search and rescue volunteers were already out in force in the early hours, using a dinghy to evacuate a flooded caravan park near Yeovil, Somerset.
But swans were making the most of a wider waterway after the River Severn burst its banks in Worcester. There are also fears of flooding in parts of Britain where snow will begin to melt away.
But yesterday, it was still freezing in Derbyshire after temperatures plummeted to –6C overnight.
A robin posed for a cold snap on a pair of iced-up wellies and a stag was spotted crossing a snowy rural road.
In Cheshire, walkers wrapped up well after an overnight low of –5C. And in Warwick, joggers faced an icy early run.
The Met Office has warned some homes and businesses could be flooded over the next few days and road and rail journeys will take longer. Chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said: “Wet and windy weather will move in from the west. Low pressure will drive several days of unsettled conditions with heavy rainfall the main concern.
“We have issued a number of severe weather warnings for rain – as much as 80mm could fall in some areas of the west. Higher ground in eastern Scotland could even see up to 100mm.”
He added: “Snow melt will exacerbate the risk of flooding.”
There will be a “brief calmer spell” in the southern half of the UK as a ridge of higher pressure moves in through Saturday afternoon, but showers will continue in the north.
