English f loods? Soggiest spots actually in Scotland

THE month of February has at times felt like a neverending deluge of rain and storms.

But while flooding in England has made headline news, figures released by the Met Office reveal Falkirk and Stirling to be the wettest areas of the UK as records were broken across the country.

Both have seen 15.1in (383.3mm) fall up to February 24, 225 per cent of the average 6.7in (170.25mm) February rainfall in the areas.

Met Office figures to February 24 show the country as a whole has already had around double its average rainfall for the month.

The UK is now closing in on record February rainfall, and yet another downpour is forecast for tomorrow. In the West of Scotland, 11.7in (297.3mm) rain fell, 208 per cent of the normal average for the month, while in the East of the country, there was 7.5in (190.9mm), 212 per cent of the average.

In West Yorkshire, the record was broken for the region when more than three times the average February rain had fallen – 8.3in (210.4mm) compared with an average of 2.6in (65.5mm).

Average figures for the UK as a whole show 6.9in (175mm) fell up to February 24, 199 per cent of the usual amount and close to the record of 7.6in (193.4mm) in 1990.

Heavy rain has come from Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis, with numerous weather fronts crossing the country bringing prolonged downpours.

Oli Claydon, spokesman for the Met Office, said: ‘It appears records have already been broken for February rainfall.

‘The very wet conditions are occurring because the jet stream bringing a conveyor belt of Atlantic low pressure systems is sitting right above us.

‘This is not especially unusual in winter, but what is unusual this year is the intensity of the rain.’

Yesterday, the flood misery continued in parts of England. Homes in Bewdley, Worcestershire, were evacuated when water started pouring over the top of defences.

Families and the elderly were rescued by boat. Others were seen being helped out of windows and over fences after the speed of the flood took everyone by surprise.

About 20 miles further north in Shropshire, police knocked doors in the town of Ironbridge and told householders to get out as flood barriers began to buckle.