The UK has suffered its wettest February on record after three successive storms brought heavy downpours and flooding.
A UK average of 202.1mm has fallen this month, surpassing February 1990 when 193.4mm fell, the Met Office said.
Householders across the country were bracing themselves on Saturday night for further damaging high winds – of up to 90mph, as officials estimated some 3,300 properties in England were flooded as a result of Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis.
Some areas were deluged by more than a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours, as safety teams worked quickly to erect flood defences in vulnerable areas.
Heavy rain – from Storm Ciara, Storm Dennis and now Storm Jorge – contributed to record river levels in the Midlands, Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Jorge, which has brought rain, gales of up to 70mph and snow, prompted weather warnings stretching from Cornwall to the north of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Parts of Ireland will bear the brunt of the strong winds, with a red warning in place for Galway and County Clare.
Here's how The Independent reported on Storm Dennis on Saturday as it happened:
A critical incident has been declared by police in South Wales after more severe weather and flooding overnight.
We'll be keeping you updated as Storm Jorge - the third named storm this month - is set to hit the UK.
South Wales Police has declared a "critical incident" after the fire service received 72 calls between 6pm Friday and 6am this morning.
The force said emergency services, councils and other bodies were "working continuously to ensure the safety and welfare of those affected, minimise damage to infrastructure and property, and minimise disruption".
Pontypridd, which was flooded two weeks ago, and the Ely area of Cardiff are particularly affected, the force said, as it warned residents to stay indoors unless "absolutely necessary".
More than 600 homes and a similar number of businesses have been hit in Wales, accounting for around a quarter of affected properties in the UK.
Parts of the UK have seen more than 100mm of rainfall in the last 48 hours.
The village of Treherbert, in South Wales, recorded 127.2mm.
Seathwaite, a hamlet in the Lake District, in Cumbria, recorded 98.2mm, while Honister Pass, also in the Lakes, had 91mm of rainfall.
Crai Reservoir, in the Brecon Beacons, in South Wales, recorded 95mm.
Images show fire crews rescuing residents from flooding in the town of Snaith, in East Yorkshire, on Saturday morning after the River Aire burst its banks.
Images by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
The Environment Agency has warned the country needs to brace itself for "more frequent periods of extreme weather like this" because of climate change.
The body said 1,000 staff per day have worked on flood defences and pumps, clearing debris and repairing damaged defences, erecting 3.7 miles of barriers.
Towns including Ironbridge and Bewdley along the River Severn in the West Midlands, and West Cowick and Lidgate in East Yorkshire, along the River Aire, are among the worst-hit areas in England.
National Rail is warning passengers to check whether services have been affected by Storm Jorge before travelling today.
Flooding is affecting a several services in Wales, while there is also disruption between Carlisle and Workington expected until 12pm.
For more details, visit: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/243842.aspx
A red wind warning has been issued for Galway and County Clare where severe winds could reach up to 145km/h (90mph), with an increased risk of coastal flooding.
The warning, which is in place until 3pm today, was brought forward to 11am as Storm Jorge was tracking faster towards Ireland than anticipated.
Weather warnings for wind are in place from 12pm today until 9am tomorrow across the Midlands, London and southeast England, northeast England, northwest England, Yorkshire and Humber, southwest England and Wales.
A further warning from 12pm today until 3pm tomorrow is in place for northeast and northwest England, Northern Ireland, southwest Scotland and Lothian borders, Strathclyde and Wales.
Storm Jorge was just northwest of Ireland at 10am, according to an Atlantic Airmass satellite image.
Heavy rain is forecast to push eastwards, turning to sleet or snow in places before turning back to rain later.
If you plan on venturing outside today it's best to wrap up warm as the wind-chill factor will make temperatures feel close to freezing, according to the Met Office.
A truck has been blown over by high winds on a road in County Galway in Ireland.
Video footage shows the vehicle being blown onto two wheels before it completely topples over on the N59 at Maam Cross in Connemara.
The Met Office in Ireland has a status red warning for wind in place for Galway and Clare until this afternoon.
Forecasters have warned dangerous conditions are expected to continue for the next few hours.
About 15,000 properties are without electricity across Ireland after a power cut, according to the Irish Examiner.
In Clare, the council has warned the public to stay indoors and avoid travel while the alert is in place.
It's official - this month has been the wettest February on record.
The latest data (up to 9am today) has revealed a UK average of 202.1mm of rain has fallen, beating February 1990 when 193.4m fell.
Records began in 1862.
Brexiteers are apparently livid that Storm Jorge – which is currently battering the UK – doesn’t have a more "British" name, Louis Staples reports.
Latest wind warnings
A status red wind warning for counties Galway and Clare lifted at 3pm but an orange alert remains in place until midnight for those counties and Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, with gusts of up to 135kmph (83mph) forecast.
A yellow warning was in place for several other counties.
A yellow rain alert was also in place until midnight for Donegal and the whole of Connacht while the whole country was covered by a snow and ice warning until late afternoon on Saturday.
