Wet, wet, wet weather warming
People in Sunderland were battening down the hatches yesterday in the face of a heavy showers and flooding threat.
The Met Office issued a three-day yellow weather warning – from midnight yesterday until midnight tomorrow – across the region for heavy rain as Storm Christoph swept across the North East.
Forecasters are predicting that temperatures will be no higher than 7°c over the three days – but the main threat will be flooding and damage caused by rain and high winds.
Areas near the coast are of particular concern to weather experts.
Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said that rain is "initially" the main concern, but the picture will change as low pressure could introduce colder air.
He explained: "As we go through the week and the low pressure that is bringing these fronts of rainfall that are persistent and heavy over the next few days.
“As that low pressure moves east and out into the North Sea, the winds will become a thing really later in the week.” Wednesday is looking to be the most likely day for heavy showers.
The rain is expected to ease off slightly during the day – but the heavy showers are set to return and last until about midnight tomorrow.
Forecasters are predicting some sleet during the early hours of tomorrow morning as temperatures drop to about the 3°C mark, however, most of the wet weather is expected to pass by mid-morning.
Yesterday, the Environment Agency issued 15 flood warnings and 117 less serious flood alerts across the country.
Floodwaters have already risen in parts of the country, with a motorist being stranded in Leicester, and workmen in York prepared flood defences near the city's River Ouse.
A major incident has already been declared in South Yorkshire in anticipation of flooding that could arrive in the coming days.
Mr Claydon added: "It's not going to be a short burst of bad weather like you may think of in terms of storms in the past where it quickly blows through overnight.
"It's really persistent heavy rain, the rain really is going to be persistent.”