Storm Claudia map shows where UK will be affected by heavy rain after Met Office warning

Get your brollies out because the UK is in for a soaking today.

Parts of the country has been warned to prepare for possible flooding on after forecasters issued an amber weather warning for heavy rain.

Emergency services have been working alongside the Environment Agency to tackle potential flooding.

Travel has already been impacted with trains between Exeter and Barnstaple affected by flooding until Sunday.

There is also a reduced service on Chiltern Railways, while CrossCountry, London Northwestern and West Midlands services are also likely to be impacted.

Where will Storm Claudia affect the UK?

Some areas could see up to 80mm of rain, with deep floodwater causing a danger to life.

The weather warning is in place from noon until the end of the day and covers parts of Wales, the Midlands, South West, South East and East of England.

Cheshire and North Yorkshire down to the south coast have been given a separate yellow warning for rain for a 24-hour period from 6am on Friday.

An additional warning for winds of up to 70mph in some western areas of the UK is in place from noon until midnight.

Where did Storm Claudia originate?

Storm Claudia originated in the Canary Islands as it swept across Tenerife yesterday with intense rainn, thunderstorms, strong winds and rough seas.

Although it caused relatively few serious incidents, schools and other establishments closed to ensure safety.

Some light structures were blown down in Granadilla from gusts of 55km/h and 14 flights were diverted due to the adverse weather.

Who named it Storm Claudia?

Due to Spain not being part of the Met Office’s storm naming group, the Spanish meteorological service named the storm instead.

However, Storm Claudia is set to affect the UK, meaning the Met Office will simply adopt the name already in use to avoid confusion and ensure consistent messaging across borders.

The single recognisable name will help everyone stay informed and prepared.

What has the Met Office said?

Power cuts, travel disruption and damage to buildings may be caused by the adverse weather, according to the Met Office.

Those travelling during the storm are urged to be cautious.

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: ‘Storm Claudia will bring very heavy rainfall to a large swathe of central and southern England and Wales on Friday into Saturday.

‘This rain will become slow moving and some areas could see up to a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.

‘Much of this will fall on saturated ground, increasing the chances of flooding and contributing to the amber warnings we have issued.

‘Within the amber warning areas, some could see in excess of 150mm accumulate during the event, with 60-80mm fairly widely.

‘Gusty winds in the north-west of England and north-west Wales is an additional hazard, with 60-70mph gusts possible in exposed places within the warning area.’

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