South East & East Anglia Regional Weather Discussion 16/01/14

[Coast]

 

A23 closed as flooding causes mayhem across Sussex

 

OVERNIGHT flooding has caused major disruptions on roads and rail networks this morning. The A23 has been closed in both directions between Warninglid and Pease Pottage due to the overnight downpour. The road was closed at approximately 5am in both directions.Northbound traffic was diverted through the A24 and A264 while southbound traffic joined the A24 southbound and then the A272 in order to again get onto the A23 soutbound. Diversions were still in place at 8am this morning.

 

Flooding has also caused delays on the M23 at the exit slip road for J10a to the B2036, Balcombe Road. Train passengers travelling to or from London have been told to expect delays of up to 60 minutes, as the Balcombe tunnel, on the Brighton mainline, has flooded. Services will operate between the capital and the south coast via Horsham and Arundel, and replacement buses have been requested, but may take time to put in place due to several roads being flooded as well.

 

There are currently no services running between Three Bridges and Haywards Heath in either direction, so passengers for London are advised to travel via Barnham and the Arun Valley, or via Hastings. Reports suggest there has been at least 50mm of rain during the past 12 hours in East Grinstead and Crawley.

 

 

 

http://www.eastgrinsteadcourier.co.uk/Overnight-flooding-causes-major-disruption-roads/story-20457366-detail/story.html#ixzz2qe3RRGQB

[Coast]

More rough news for travellers on the Sussex rail network:

 

Balcombe Tunnel flood causes massive rail disruption

 

Commuters faced massive disruption on the Brighton Main Line this morning (Friday) due to flooding at Balcombe Tunnel and to compound the problems, parts of the A23 were closed - also due to flooding. At 7.20am commuters huddling in the dark, packed the forecourt outside Haywards Heath station waiting for a replacement bus service to take them to a connecting train at Gatwick.

 

An information screen had ‘delay’ after ‘delay’ next to each train service as train operator Southern tried to put in the replacement buses to get hundreds of commuters to work. A twitter feed set up by Southern contained a stream of despairing comments including “train meltdown in Sussex today†and “delays could add one hour and 40 minutes to your journey - words no-one wants to hearâ€. Commuter Stephen Jones: said “I’ve just given up and come home. Trains are stacked right back.â€

 

Anyone hoping to drive up to a connecting train at Gatwick was thwarted by flooding on the A23. At 7am this morning the A23 southbound was closed between junctions A264 and A272 and the northbound side was closed between A272 and the M23 - also due to flooding. One commuter said: “You can’t even get anywhere by car, let alone a train!â€

 

http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/local/balcombe-tunnel-flood-causes-massive-rail-disruption-1-5814496

 

UPDATE: Flooding causes problems in Horsham district

 

Heavy overnight rain has caused several problems for drivers this morning (Friday January 17). There is flooding in Kerves Lane in Horsham between the Hard’s Hill junction and the Kentwyns Drive junction.

 

The B2116 Albourne Road in Henfield is blocked in both directions between the A281 Crouch Hill junction and the A281 junction, because of flooding.There is also flooding on the A281 Horsham Road between Cranleigh Turn and the A29 junction.A large amount of surface water is causing problems on the A24 in Broadbridge Heath at Broadbridge Heath Roundabout.

 

Further down the road the the A24 is just passable on the Dorking Road in Kingsfold before the Marches Road junction,.There is also flooding on the M23 southbound at J10a B2036 Balcombe Road. on the exit slip road.There are also problems on the 2138 Lower Street in Fittleworth at the Sandy Lane junction

 

 

http://www.westsussextoday.co.uk/news/county-news/latest-news/update-flooding-causes-problems-in-horsham-district-1-5814467

 

Edited January 17, 2014 by Coast

[Iceni]

Morning all

Woke up by rain lashing against the bedroom window at 4 am.

Its still going for it.

Had to push the dogs out they wernt keen atall.

Must say The fields  are a real mess and the entrances are thick with mud and on a slope and its getting harder to stay upright.

Dry or frozen solid i dont mind which but please stop raining!!

Hope you all have a great friday despite the wet:)

 

Just like here. Even the drier tracks are just mud slides now - had to cut through and walk on the farmer's side of the hedge - didn't have my mobile and didn't fancy falling over, breaking something and having to lie there for hours.

 

Re: Flooding. My brother went to Cranleigh School in the 1960s and the number of times he couldn't get back from holidays due to flooding in and around the area was ridiculous — they obviously still have a problem. That environmental law which says no natural water courses can be dredged and special ea/eu permission sought for dredging man made ones (yes honestly ), doesn't sound quite such a great idea now.

 

And despite what must be one of the wettest Autumn/Winters on record, if there's a dry spell this summer, reservoirs will run low and there'll be a hosepipe ban as we're 'not allowed' to build any new reservoirs under the same authority — we're supposed to conserve water instead.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Iceni

[NO LONGER POSTING]

River Thames is also back on the climb 

[PiggiePalace]

Morning all

 

Slept through the worst of it and woke at 7.15  to a flood alert from the EA for the Upper Medway area....went back to sleep only to receive another warning call at 9am from my friendly sparkie who is trying with some difficulty to get from East Grinstead to Crawley and was a little shocked to see just how much water is pouring onto the roads.

 

Being right on the border between East and West Sussex I'm hoping the last lot just clipped us.......will know in about an hour....best get dressed, move the car and find the wellies.xxx

[chilly milly]

It's a loverly day out there today in Stevenage.  Not sure how long it's going to last though.

 

And hello there 'Mr Angry'.  I think we've all been where you have been at some point or another.  In fact I was in your shoes not 2 days ago.  Luckily I had reason to email the person on another subject and before closing the mail, added a quick apology for the 'earlier incident' with a hope that we never find ourselves in that position again...ie don't cock up again. 

 

Life's a b!tch, and every now and again, I become one.

Edited January 17, 2014 by chilly milly

[Keraunic]

Mornin each. Blimus, we've had so much rain over night and into this morning...but it's brightening up here now. Still a bit breezy though.

Saw this going down the Orwell earlier.........

Have a good day, all. And stay dry.

[Iceni]

Morning all, hope everyone's fit and well.Ditto, but went back to sleep, so ended up getting up late, which is annoying. Office in Harlow today unfortunately, means the bridge tonight, which won't be good, roll on when they take the tolls aways in October. Nice to see JP charts indicating a cool down early next week. But could do with seeing cold and snow being mentioned, if it don't hurry up, I might have to visit a site and get a fix in one of the freezers. I designed :-).Oh well can't hang about, otherwise it won't be worthwhile doing a POETS day today. Enjoy yourselves.

 

Okay here's my effort...

 

It's all set

To be wet

So you'd better get

A short-haired pet.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Iceni

[Jason T]

Ridiculous weather this is now. Rainfall totals from last night up till 8.00am this morning.

 

 

[abruzzi spur]

Okay here's my effort...

 

It's all set

To be wet

So you'd better get

A short-haired pet.

Coz if you have

A shaggy dog

He'll likely sink

Into the bog

[JABWootton]

Coz if you have

A shaggy dog

He'll likely sink

Into the bog

Hate all this Rain

Just wish it would go

I hope the frost comes

And it brings lots of Snow

[abruzzi spur]

Hate all this Rain

Just wish it would go

I hope the frost comes

And it brings lots of Snow

Composite poetry?

That's pretty neat

Any chance

Of a bit of sleet?

[tcc]

Horrendous driving conditions round here! Practically eveyr single road is either flooded and passable with care. The Police have closed off a number of roads round here and Gatwick due to flooding and the rivers are just breaching their banks again. Dropped off my youngest at the in-laws with the river swollen and in the garden! Not sure how much more it'll rise, hopefully not like it was before Xmas. People coming into work in dribs and drabs after leaving Brighton by Train or car before 7am and just getting in now!

 

If anyone thinks about driving anywhere under that train of showers then think again, you could stuck!

[Jason T]

I think once these heavier bands sweep through it may subside a little. I'm also hoping that mass of showers in France just misses us as it heads E/NE:

 

NW Radar.PNG

 

Relentless Coast. I think frustrations and depression are a lot more intense around the NW site and more so model output, As this Stilton cheese pattern has gone way past its use by date and the potential in output now keeps throwing life lines but not delivering. However sooner or later it will change, I just hope its a lot sooner "Days instead of weeks".

[Coast]

However sooner or later it will change, I just hope its a lot sooner "Days instead of weeks".

 

There's always next year.....

[Coast]

Not getting better just yet by the looks of it:

 

South East road and rail closures after overnight flooding

 

Overnight flooding has severely disrupted road and rail services in the south-east of England.

 

A main line rail tunnel has been flooded, preventing trains from travelling between London and Brighton. There have also been no train services between Tonbridge, Kent, and Redhill, Surrey. Flooding on the A23 in Sussex led to the carriageway being closed in both directions, between Bolney and Pease Pottage. Diversions are in place. It has now reopened, though severe delays are expected. 

 

Further showers are expected throughout the day.

 

A flood alert is in place at the Burford Bridge in Dorking, Surrey

 

Flooding on the A217 towards Reigate led to queues

 

Southern rail said due to flooding in the Balcombe tunnel, Sussex, there were no services between Haywards Heath and Three Bridges in either direction.  Replacement buses have also been affected by flooding on local roads, so passengers for London have been advised to travel via Barnham and the Arun Valley, or via Hastings for Southeastern services. Southern tickets are being accepted on Southeastern and First Capital Connect services.

 

Brighton station tweeted: "Please avoid main line. All at a stand. A test train is making its way though the tunnel. Engineers are having access issues."  Passenger Barbara Groom, who is stuck on the Brighton line, said: "We were told by rail staff to call our bosses and tell them we can't get to work." More than 70 million passenger journeys a year are made on the main London to Brighton line, with 2,500 trains passing through the Balcombe Tunnel each week.

 

The A23 has been closed in both directions because of flooding

 

Gatwick Airport said despite the disruption to travel to and from the airport, it was operating as normal. However, passengers have been advised to allow plenty of extra time to reach the airport. The Environment Agency has issued 11 flood warnings for parts of Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It said "immediate action" was required for people to protect their homes.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-25757256

Edited January 17, 2014 by Coast

[Snowangel-MK]

Yellow Warning of Rain for London & South East England :

Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, West Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Greater London, East Sussex, Brighton and Hove & Medway

Yellow Warning of Rain for East of England :

Thurrock, Essex & Southend-on-Sea

Further showers, some heavy, will affect parts of the southeast of England this morning, dying away by early afternoon.

The warning has been updated in light of the latest ideas on the duration of impacts.

The public should be aware that, given the saturated ground, some disruption from localised flooding is likely.

Issued at:

1028 on Fri 17 Jan 2014

Valid from:

0750 on Fri 17 Jan 2014

Valid to:

1600 on Fri 17 Jan 2014

Bands of showers last night brought some heavy rainfall to parts of the southeast of England resulting in some surface water flooding. Although showers will tend to ease later this morning and early this afternoon, (with mostly less than 10 mm additional rainfall), residual impacts, especially in terms of surface water flooding, will last into the afternoon.

[Coast]

Picking up on the Met O 5 day forecast, we look to have a largely dry day Saturday (well away from the very West of our region) and that continues into Sunday and Monday. Some rain overnight Saturday:

 

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/city-of-london-greater-london#?tab=map&map=SignificantWeather&zoom=8&lon=-0.08&lat=51.51&fcTime=1390014000

 

GFS has light rain on Saturday morning, moving on by the afternoon:

 

 

Sunday is clear, but overcast and cloudy:

 

 

Take you pick out of that lot, I think  we may have seen the worst of it (for now) come Saturday lunchtime, but watch out mid-week as I think it might make a return, staying dry on Thursday before more rain next Friday.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Coast

[fluid dynamic]

Morning all nightmare for the commuters out there this morning A23 closed due to flooding and main rail line up to London closed at Balcombe due to flooding looks like I could be driving up to Haywards Heath to pick the other half up this afternoon if it doesn't subside by then. Heh Happy Poet's Day!

 

Just driven round Balcombe, Cuckfield and Goddards Green. Very wet indeed, drove down a river going out of Cuckfield

[Coast]

Just driven round Balcombe, Cuckfield and Goddards Green. Very wet indeed, drove down a river going out of Cuckfield

 

Have they opened the A23 yet FD? Must be a nightmare around those back roads.

[abruzzi spur]

Ah well, at least amongst all this rain-induced gloom it looks as though England in Australia are finally going to win a crick......

Ah

[tcc]

Have they opened the A23 yet FD? Must be a nightmare around those back roads.

 

I've heard that Northbound traffic is now open, although with severe delays, southbound still closed (as of 20 min ago)

[fluid dynamic]

Have they opened the A23 yet FD? Must be a nightmare around those back roads.

I didnt try to get back to Horsham that way, so sorry I dunno.

[Steve C]

I think the rain is finally easing here. We've had a lot here too! Something of a sucker punch!

 

I'm getting sick of it all tbh. Any sort of break would be welcome, as long as there's less precipitation involved with it.

 

This has all happened from an essentially showery regime (rather than frontal based rain)  but the way the showers are aligning has meant pretty persistent, heavy rain for some. This sort of situation happened a few years ago in the SE (Kent, Surrey & Sussex) but was actually worse than this and caused significant flooding. I don't remember the exact date, but think most of the rain was overnight.

 

And again the rain starts!

[Jimmyh]

loving the journey home tonight already all fcc trains cancelled aaaarrrrhhhhhhhh