A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued across Somerset for Thursday, January 29, with heavy showers expected from noon until midnight. Adjacent areas including Bristol, Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Dorset will also face heightened flooding risks during this period.
The Met Office has cautioned that the rain could lead to flooding of homes, hazardous deep floodwaters, delays and cancellations in public transport, and road closures. There is also a risk that some villages may become isolated due to flooding.
“A band of rain is expected to reach southwest England on Thursday afternoon, spreading northeast across the warning area by evening,” a Met Office spokesperson said. “Though the rain will only last a few hours in any one location, it will be heavy at times. Widespread rainfall of 10 to 20 mm is likely, with some moorland areas possibly seeing 20 to 40 mm falling on already saturated ground.”
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Hour-by-hour forecast for Somerset on Thursday, January 29:
- 9am: 6°C, 20% chance of rain
- 11am: 8°C, 20% chance of rain
- 1pm: 9°C, 20% chance of rain
- 4pm: 8°C, 50% chance of rain
- 7pm: 8°C, 90% chance of rain
- 9pm: 8°C, 90% chance of rain
- 11pm: 8°C, 90% chance of rain
Residents are advised to stay informed by checking local flood warnings, keep their mobile phones charged, and move valuables to high ground. Drivers are urged to avoid travel where possible. If driving is essential, the Met Office recommends slowing down, using main roads, keeping headlights dipped, allowing extra stopping distance on slippery surfaces, and maintaining larger gaps between vehicles.
The warning follows flooding caused by Storm Chandra on Wednesday, which inundated fifty homes and forced the closure of multiple schools across Somerset towns including Taunton, Langport, Ilminster, Somerton, Martock, Bridgwater, Crewkerne, Watchet, and Shepton Mallet.
Transport disruptions are ongoing, with National Rail cancelling all train services between Castle Cary and Taunton today due to flood damage. Passengers are advised to travel via Bristol Temple Meads as alternative routes are unavailable.