Storm Jorge sees March roaring in
FLOODED communities in Britain were hit by another deluge of rain and 70mph gusts of wind yesterday, as the Met Office confirmed it was the wettest February on record.
Storm Jorge swept across the country in the fourth consecutive weekend of severe weather, bringing fresh misery to towns and villages in Yorkshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Devon, Cornwall and Wales.
Storm Ciara, then Storm Dennis and now Jorge dumped a record amount of rain across Britain for the month of February, according to the Met Office.
It said a UK average of 202.1mm [7.9in] of rain had fallen, beating the previous record in February 1990 of 193.4mm [7.6in].
The Environment Agency said England has had more than twice its average February rainfall, with some areas getting a month’s worth in 24 hours.
And forecasters have warned the stormy weather is set to continue with March “roaring in like a lion” as meteorological spring officially starts today.
The latest blast of rain, wind and snow prompted weather warnings stretching from Cornwall to the north of Scotland and across to Northern Ireland yesterday.
Police in flood-hit South Wales declared a temporary “critical incident” on Saturday morning as councils, emergency services and other bodies worked to protect residents as well as property and infrastructure.
People in Pontypridd, which had already been flooded two weeks ago, and the Ely area of Cardiff, were advised to remain indoors amid warnings of further rising water levels and gusts of up to 70mph.
Cardiff Council said emergency teams worked through Friday night on flood defences, road closures and clearing debris to limit the damage from torrential rain as its roads team answered around 100 incidents.
More than 600 homes and a similar number of businesses have been hit inwales, accounting for around a quarter of affected properties in the UK. There were six yellow weather warnings for rain, wind and snow in force across the country on Saturday
morning. The rain warning was lifted at midday as showers eased, but alerts remained in place for gales and the potential for power cuts, transport delays and large waves for coastal communities.
The RAC said 21,000 breakdowns are expected today and 36,000 tomorrow.
RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Expect floods and road debris on Sunday and Monday. Don’t risk becoming a floods victim and don’t take chances with snow and ice.” Wind warnings will be in force until 9am today across much of England and
Wales and until 3pm across Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and the North.
Persistent snow was forecast over higher parts of Scotland. Up to a foot was predicted in some places with warnings in place until noon tomorrow, the Met Office said.
A total of 83 flood warnings were in place across England and Wales, mostly in the South-west, along the English-welsh border, and in Yorkshire, while a further 211 “flooding is possible” alerts were also in force.
The wind-chill factor will make temperatures feel close to freezing, said the Met Office, but sunny spells are forecast from tomorrow until Wednesday for much of the country, before wet, windy weather returns.
Heavy rain has caused record river levels with towns including Ironbridge and Bewdley along the River Severn in the West Midlands, and East and West Cowick and Lidgate in East Yorkshire along the
River Aire, among the worst-hit areas in England. The Environment Agency said 1,000 staff a day have worked on flood defences and pumps, clearing debris and repairing damaged defences, erecting 3.7 miles of barriers.
It warned the country needs to brace itself for “more frequent periods of extreme weather like this” because of climate change.
John Hammond, from the forecaster Weathertrending, said: “March comes in ‘like a lion’ and the lion is already roaring.there’s no let-up in winter as spring arrives.
“More rain and snow ahead will prolong the agony for those blighted by flooding. Northern areas and high ground further south are most prone to snow.”
Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: “It’s going from bad to worse, with more rain topping up rivers.the weather is in no hurry to leap into spring.”