There are still numerous flood warnings as Storm Chandra clears away. In Somerset, a Severe Flood warning on the Lower Stour
“Severe flooding is expected today and flood water is expected to be deep and fast flowing. 28 January 2026. River levels are rising and require residents to evacuate as quickly as possible. Pack a bag with essential items such as medications you may need. Prepare to be away from your home overnight.”
There is more rain in the forecast this week which will be closely monitored by teams and residents in the flood hit areas including Northern Ireland and southwest England. A series of low pressures will be running in from the Atlantic helped by a powerful jetstream.
Portugal and Spain are experiencing Storm Kirstin today with wild conditions around the Iberian coasts, heavy rain, gales and inland snow. Another system will move over Spain on Thursday (Low3) and it is the connected occluded front which will bring rain to the UK by the evening. Another smaller low looks to rush our way on Friday, again towards Devon and Cornwall. More rain falling onto saturated ground with high river levels.
There is high pressure over Scandinavia which is halting the progress of these low pressures. The rain bands are then slow moving over the UK or the same southeasterly wind brings a persistent wet onshore flow to NE Britain.
Environment Agency flood warnings (severe warning = small black outlined box near A35)
After Storm Chandra, it is a welcome change to see the sunshine on Wednesday even with a bit of an early nip in the air. There will be some chiller nights this week as colder air from Scandinavia reaches across the North Sea towards NE Britain with a frost in places. However milder Atlantic air will try to push in from the southwest. By Friday morning temperatures will be around 7C for the West Country but only 2 or 3C for northeast England as people set off for school and work.
Storm Chandra is turning away over the Atlantic but the Northern Isles stay windy on Wednesday. The very rough seas and gales will decrease but the southeasterly flow will continue and is going to bring a lot of rain to Tayside and NE Scotland for the rest of this week. Similar to last week the orographic uplift as the moisture laden flow reaches the high ground of the southeast side of the Grampian mountains.
The five day flood outlook for England highlights that local river and surface water is possible on Thursday & Friday and for Wales and “is probable in parts of SW England on Saturday & Sunday. Land, roads and some properties could flood and there could be travel disruption.” EA. Groundwater flooding is also possible in the next few days as more Atlantic systems arrive.
As the occlusion (from Iberian low, Kirstin) arrives later on Wednesday, there will be increasing cloud and blustery winds from the southeast by late evening. Showery bursts of rain will reach Cornwall through Wednesday night but extend over Pembrokeshire by Thursday morning with clusters over Northern Ireland by lunchtime.
The next occlusion (Low3) will approach Cornwall on Thursday afternoon, into Devon, SW Wales and Northern Ireland.
Much of Britain will only have light E/SE winds on Thursday but Northern Ireland will be blustery in the SE wind. The north and eastern coasts of Ireland will become windy through Thursday with a fresh and gusty wind across Northern Ireland and the Irish Sea ahead of the next frontal rain band.
The damp weather over NE Scotland just continues but merges with the occlusion from the southwest during Friday. There will be snow over northern hills with a chilly easterly wind. NW Scotland will hold onto fine, bright and dry weather and there will be a brighter gap over southern Britain before the next little low arrives.
This Friday low (Low4) will bring more heavy rain to southern Britain but there is some uncertainty around its progress, and any strong winds.
Loading recent activity...
