Heavy rain is expected to cause transport disruption and could worsen flooding in some areas, the Met Office has warned
Rain will fall on already saturated ground following Storm Chandra, raising concerns of further flooding.
A yellow rain alert is in place from 12pm on Thursday until 3am on Friday for parts of south-west England.
A separate yellow warning for Northern Ireland on Friday is forecast to bring “spells of heavy rain leading to some transport disruption and flooding in places”.
Here are your weather extremes for Wednesday 28th January 2026 👇 pic.twitter.com/gzDcjl4PmF
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 28, 2026
On Thursday morning, there were 76 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and 180 flood alerts, where it is possible, across England.
The Met Office said a band of rain would arrive across Cornwall on Thursday afternoon, then move northeast across the south west of England before clearing early on Friday.
“The rain is only likely to last for a few hours in any one location but will be heavy at times,” a spokesperson said.
“A further 10-15 mm of rain is expected fairly widely, but some locations, most likely in the south of the area, could see 20-25 mm.
“The likelihood of impacts from these rainfall amounts is higher than normal due to saturated ground and ongoing flooding following Storm Chandra.”
A severe flood warning, meaning a danger to life, remained in place for the Lower Stour at Iford Bridge Home Park, where residents were told to evacuate their properties “as soon as possible”.
Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “Flooding is devastating and my thoughts are with the people affected.
“I am in regular contact with the Environment Agency on their response to the ongoing flooding in Somerset and Dorset who, alongside local authorities and the emergency services, are already taking action to keep communities safe.
“I urge residents to follow local advice over the next few days to ensure they stay safe.
The Environment Agency said teams were on the ground switching on pumps to remove flood water as soon as river levels allow, with ultra high-volume pumps used in Northmoor and Saltmoor on the Somerset Levels.
On Wednesday, Somerset Council said an estimated 50 properties had been affected by flooding across Ilminster, West Coker, Taunton, Mudford and West Camel.
Council staff and members of the emergency services were at the site to help people leave their homes. They were told to pack a bag of essential items and prepare to be away from their properties overnight.
Two flood warnings and three alerts are in place for Wales, with two alerts in Scotland.
Storm Chandra is the latest storm to be named by the western Europe storm naming group list shared between the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
