Flood warnings extended as UK braces for four inches of lashing rain

The UK will be hit by sheets of lashing rain as flood warnings are extended to well into the weekend.

From Friday heavy rain will fall on large parts of England, Wales and Scotland, causing a high chance of serious flooding.

From 3pm on Friday to 3pm a day later large areas of land in the north west and south west of England, as well as the whole of Wales, are expected to endure up to 100 millimetres of rain.

This afternoon the Met Office extended its flood warning to deep into Saturday, alerting the public to the chance of deep, fast flooding waters coursing through Britain's towns.

Previously the warning was for just a 12 hour period – from noon on Friday.

Forecasters are also predicting downfalls across the higher ground of north and north-west Scotland tomorrow afternoon.

Forecaster Grahame Madge said: “On Friday we will see a change in the  weather  develop to something more unsettled with the risk of heavy rain.

“There is some mention in the forecast of transient snowfall over high ground and for some people this might be the first snow that they will have seen so far this season although we are not expecting any impacts."

To add to the wintery plight of those living to the north of the Isles, snow is forecast to fall in the Highlands tomorrow.

A north-south divide in temperatures will see the mercury plummets in Scotland, while soaring in the south of England.

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: "We are likely to see snow coming down to the mountains, 400, 500 metres or so, accumulating through Friday and Saturday.

"The first significant widespread mountain snow of the season. There will be some sunshine in between the snow showers."

Snow flakes are likely to fall in Inverness and the Isle of Mull ahead of lows of 2C in Scotland on Friday evening.

The south of England will fare far better.

Highs of 16C are expected at the bottom of the UK tomorrow.

Today the weather in the south of the country has been dominated by great clouds of fog that have hugely reduced visibility.

This is expected to be replaced by rain later in the day which will not clear up until the evening.

The rest of the country is expected to enjoy sunny spells breaking through clouds and the intermittent shower.

Tonight the dye will be cast for a tumultuous day of weather on Friday.

Most parts of the south will find themselves clear of rain while temperatures plummet in the north.

Snow, rain and blustery gales will start to buffet those in the north west and Scotland before the real downpours begin.

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