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The Independent UK

National

Emma Snaith

UK weather: Britain braces for heavy rain and first snowfall of season, as 'danger to life' warnings issued

A month’s worth of rain is set to fall across parts of the UK on Friday, with forecasters warning fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose “a danger to life”.

Gale-force winds of up to 60mph will also batter some regions and the first snow of the year might hit higher ground, the Met Office said. There is a small chance that businesses and homes could be affected by the flooding with the potential for powercuts and communities to be cut off.

The weather warning is in place from 12pm on Friday until midnight on Saturday, covering most of Wales, plus a swathe of northwest England stretching from Leeds to Carlisle.

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2019-10-24T14:28:08.966Z

Good afternoon, and welcome to The Independent's rolling coverage of the floods set to hit the UK.

2019-10-24T14:44:12.206Z

Met Office issues yellow weather warnings for rain

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain from 12pm on Friday until midnight on Saturday, covering most of Wales, plus a swathe of northwest England stretching from Leeds to Carlisle.

Forecasters say there is a chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life in the affected areas.

2019-10-24T14:51:49.733Z

Month's worth of rain set to fall in 24 hours

Some regions in Britain face “the possibility of up to 100mm of rain in 24 hours” – the equivalent of a typical month’s rainfall in some regions, the Met Office has warned.

Gale force winds of up to 60mph are also expected to hit some areas and the first snow of the season might hit higher ground.

Read Vincent Wood's report here:

New danger to life warnings issued as UK prepares to be pummeled by 60mph winds and torrential rain

The Independent‘There is a conveyor of cloud and rain that's going to be bringing this rainfall more or less continually over parts of the west’

2019-10-24T15:01:48.516Z

Winds of up to 70mph expected across Scotland

Scotland could see winds of up to 70mph tonight and into tomorrow, the Met Office said.

2019-10-24T15:30:00.000Z

Houses washed away as deadly storms hit Europe

Meanwhile in Europe, several people have died and others are missing after torrential rain caused flooding across France, Spain and Italy.

Firefightes in Spain are searching for an elderly woman and her son who were staying in a prefabricated house in Vilaverd, a small town close to Barcelona, when it was washed away after the nearby river burst its banks.

Read Samuel Osborne's report here:

Houses washed away as deadly flooding hits France, Spain and Italy

2019-10-24T16:00:00.000Z

Mercury set to dip in the north

Temperatures are set to drop to close to zero in some northern areas overnight, the BBC's weather service warned.

2019-10-24T16:30:00.000Z

Are you prepared?

Are you ready for the torrential rain set to hit the UK over the next couple of days?

Read are handy round-up of the best umbrellas to save you from the downpours.

9 best umbrellas to save you from autumn showers and beyond

2019-10-24T16:54:10.000Z

Here's a video from the Met office to give you a clearer idea of what you can expect this weekend:

2019-10-24T17:22:10.000Z

At the moment, it's looking like Friday daytime will be wet in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and southern Scotland. However northern Scotland and north-western parts of Northern Ireland can expect to see some patches of brightness. As well as rain, the south should be prepared for strong winds.

2019-10-24T17:42:21.000Z

Tomorrow evening the north of England can expect heavy rain, which will then head south overnight. Saturday morning will likely be a cold, cloudy start to the day, with heavy rain across Wales and south-west England.

2019-10-24T18:21:20.643Z

Here's the latest from the Met Office:

2019-10-24T18:51:35.000Z

It's not just the UK that's been facing severe weather. Several people have died and others are missing after torrential rain caused flooding across western Europe.
Three people have died as a result of storms and floods in France this week, while two people were killed by flash floods in Italy on Tuesday.

You can read the full story here:

Houses washed away as deadly flooding hits France, Spain and Italy

2019-10-24T19:21:28.853Z

Looking ahead to Sunday, the weather should pick up across the UK. It's expected to be mostly dry with some sunny spells, although northern Scotland will likely see some wintry showers.

2019-10-24T19:52:30.643Z

Here's the coastal forecast for tomorrow:

North Sea: A strong southerly wind. Light rain. Mostly good visibility. Rough seas.

Dover Strait, English Channel: A strong south-westerly wind. Light rain. Mostly good visibility. Rough seas.

St Georges Channel: A strong south-easterly wind. Showers. Mostly good visibility. Rough seas.

Irish Sea: A gentle southerly wind. Heavy rain. Mostly good visibility. Moderate seas.

2019-10-24T20:09:10.000Z

Here are the locations of the yellow weather warnings for Friday from the Met Office:

2019-10-24T20:20:10.000Z

The same three regions across the UK currently have yellow weather warnings in place for Saturday.

2019-10-24T20:40:10.000Z

Friday morning forecast:

2019-10-24T20:47:48.000Z

That's all for our live coverage of the latest UK weather forecasts. We'll be back tomorrow to bring you updates on what you can expect to come over the coming days.

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