AFTER THE STORMS... FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING
BATTERED Britain saw Storm Jorge blast out last night amid hopes that spring is on its way.
After another weekend of gales and relentless downpours, meteorologists said the UK had weathered its wettest February on record.
The first day of meteorological spring saw 15 rivers in the Midlands, Yorkshire and Lancashire reach their highest levels since records began.
And the Environment Agency warned the country needs to brace itself for “more frequent periods of extreme weather like this” because of climate change.
Yesterday emergency teams repaired flood barriers in the West Midlands with water levels on the River Severn expected to peak at 18ft today, the Environment Agency said.
Towns including Ironbridge and Bewdley along the Severn, and East Cowick and Lidgate along the River Aire in East Yorkshire, are among the worsthit areas in England.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said more than 3,300 properties in England are thought to have been flooded as a result of the combined effects of earlier storms Ciara and Dennis.
Warnings
Local authorities in Wales said more than 1,000 homes had flooded, with reports of more than 300 businesses also affected.
The Met Office said a UK average of 202.1mm (7.9in) of rain fell last month, surpassing 1990 when 193.4mm fell.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said water levels are dropping or remaining stable in Snaith, Gowdall, East Cowick and West Cowick, but are expected to remain high for several days.
Stephen Hunt, head of planning and development for East Riding, said: “While we are still very much in the response phase, the council has started planning for the recovery operation.”
Local authorities will embark on huge clean-up operations once flooding risks subside and water levels fall.
Last night a total of 77 flood warnings were still in place across England and Wales, mostly in the South-west, along the EnglishWelsh border, and in Yorkshire, while a further 164 alerts over possible floods were also in force.
Last night meteorologists warned of travel disruption this morning due to icy conditions in Scotland, north-west England and North Wales.
But the Met Office said many parts of the country will begin to see more settled weather – with cold nights with frost and fog giving way to milder days.
But it is likely to be mid-March before things brighten up for the whole of the UK.