UK weather: Urgent travel warning with 4 INCHES of rain to hit, says Met Office as summer officially comes to an end

THE Met Office has issued an urgent travel warning – with four inches of rain set to hit as summer officially comes to an end.

A yellow rain warning will be in force force all day for Wales, southern England and the Midlands.

George Cracknell WrightA car splashing through a puddle in Greenwich, south east London last night[/caption]

PAMiserable conditions for drivers on the M3 near Basingstoke in Hampshire[/caption]

MET OfficeA rain warning covers much of England and Wales[/caption]

Forecasters said a whopping 100mm could drench some parts of the warning zone, which stretches as far north as Cheshire and Yorkshire.

Other places could see 40-70mm of rain fall in just two or three hours.

Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some temporary road closures.

There is a small chance that some rural communities will temporarily become cut off by flooded roads.

Significant delays or cancellations to train and bus services are possible.

Homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings.

And there is a small chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some areas in the warning zone.

Met Office expert Jonathan Vautrey said: “With Sunday marking the autumnal equinox summer has now officially come to an end.

“We’ll also see our next batch of thundery rain moving its way into southern areas of England as well.”

“We do have a rain warning in force throughout today for this band of rain.

“It’s going to be moving across Wales, central southern areas of England.

“Some very heavy pulses are possible with some surface water issues, travel disruption.

“So it’s worth taking care if you are out and about or travelling during the day.”