Five red ‘danger to life’ flood warnings as Met Office says more ‘severe’ rain today before ANOTHER storm hits – The Sun
FIVE 'danger to life' flood alerts are today in place across the UK – as the Met Office warns more is yet to come.
The UK is battening down the hatches for more extreme weather including heavy rain and gales this weekend after the country was battered by two back-to-back killer storms.
Deadly storms Ciara and Storm Dennis saw towns inundated with water as the UK faced its worst flooding in 200 years.
The Met Office has issued wind and rain warnings for parts of the country for today and Saturday, while five severe danger to life flood warnings have been issued by the Environment Agency.
And another powerful storm barrelling towards Britain at the start of next week could be strong enough to warrant the fifth name of the season – Ellen.
Netweather forecaster Nick Finnis said: "Models indicating a deep low tracking northeast close to or perhaps over northern Scotland, bringing a spell heavy rain preceded by hill snow and gales or severe gales across the north.
"Could be the next named storm on the list – which is Storm Ellen."
Polar winds for next week are also threatening sub-zero temperatures and snow for the start of spring.
Met Office meteorologist Luke Miall said: "The wet and windy weather over the weekend is linked to a deep low which sweeps in on Monday.
"This will bring the potential for strong winds, heavy rain and snow in the north, we are looking at a spell of very wet and windy weather to start next week.
"It is going to get colder from Tuesday onwards as we enter a north-westerly air stream and this will bring Polar maritime air into the country.
"There will be a risk of snow in the north with some wintry elements even to the south of the country over high ground.”
Many Brits are now facing a massive clean-up after their homes were swamped by flood water following the bad weather.
Brave rescuers have been pulling OAPs from care homes and ferried stranded residents to safety on inflatable boats in Wales and northern England.
Three hero rescuers risked their lives to save a freezing woman trapped on the roof of her submerged car overnight.
The 62-year-old woman was slipping in and out of consciousness when she was spotted by Geoff Handley, 63, who was walking his dog near St Briavels in the Forest of Dean on Tuesday morning.
He and two other men then plunged into the water to save her.
Even George Clooney's £12m Berkshire mansion has been swamped by flood waters.
The EA reported England has already received 141% of its average February rainfall so far this month, adding that river levels in the Colne, Ribble, Calder, Aire, Trent, Severn, Wye, Lugg, and Derwent all set new records in recent days.
The River Severn surged through Ironbridge, Shrops, at a rate of 470tons of water per second.
In Hereford, the Wye reached 20ft, the highest since records began 200 years ago.
Paul Mason, group manager of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said the scene his team had faced over the weekend was the worst he had experienced in his 31-year career.
He said: "This weather is unprecedented We haven't seen this, it's incredible, and it's right throughout the South Wales Valleys.
"In my 31 years in the service this is the worst I've ever seen. I've never experienced anything like this before."
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