Met Office issues amber and yellow rain warnings as parts of the UK face flooding and strong winds, with Storm Ingrid set to bring further disruption to southern and western areas.
The Met Office has placed an amber weather warning for heavy rain across Grampian, Angus, and Perth and Kinross until 6pm, warning of significant flooding risk. Rainfall totals of 60–80mm are widely expected, with up to 100–120mm over higher ground. In some locations, totals since midweek could exceed 150mm, raising the likelihood of surface water flooding and rivers bursting their banks. Strong south-easterly winds are also affecting north-east Scotland, adding to difficult travel conditions.
Wider Yellow Warnings Across the UK
A broader yellow warning remains in force for much of eastern Scotland, where 30–60mm of rain is likely on already saturated ground following recent snowmelt. Further yellow warnings cover Northern Ireland, south-east Wales, Somerset and Devon, with persistent heavy rain forecast to cause localised flooding and transport disruption. On Thursday morning, almost 160 flood alerts and warnings were active across England, Scotland and Wales.
Storm Ingrid Approaches South-West
From Friday, Storm Ingrid, named by the Portuguese weather service, is expected to move close to south-west England and north-west France. The system will bring strengthening winds and further spells of heavy rain to Cornwall, Devon, parts of Wales and the south-west coast. Gusts could reach 60 to 65mph, particularly along exposed coasts and hills. While not as severe as the recent Storm Goretti, which produced near 100mph winds in the region, Ingrid is still likely to cause travel disruption, fallen trees and power issues in some areas.
Eastern Scotland is set to remain wet into Friday, with further heavy rain and some snow over higher ground. Elsewhere, conditions will stay cloudy and breezy, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle moving through. The centre of Storm Ingrid is forecast to stall to the south-west into Saturday, keeping winds strong across southern and western parts of the UK.
Cold Snap on the Way
Behind the storm system, a shift to a brisk easterly airflow will draw in colder air from northern and eastern Europe. Temperatures are expected to fall over the weekend and into next week, dropping to 4–6C below the seasonal average by Monday. The colder air could also bring wintry showers, with a risk of snow in some areas, although the exact locations and accumulations remain uncertain.
With rivers already high and ground fully saturated, the Met Office and Environment Agency are urging people in affected areas to stay alert for further flood warnings, check travel advice and prepare for possible disruption as the wet and windy conditions continue.