Midweek flash flood threat to spoil dry spell for Wales and South West England

By Courtney Spamer, Meteorologist

August 15,2016; 10:23PM,EDT

 

 

A dry start to the week will be replaced by the risk for flash flooding across Wales and South West England on Wednesday and Wednesday night.
High pressure that settled over the United Kingdom this weekend will shift into the North Sea early this week, continuing the pattern of dry, settled weather throughout the country into Tuesday afternoon.
The summery temperatures will also continue, with highs across England reaching 2-3 degrees C (4-6 degrees F) above normal in the afternoons. Sunny spells are expected throughout the country.

On Wednesday, dry weather will persist for most of Scotland and northeastern England, but a change will come to Northern Ireland, Wales and southern England.
Despite the mild air, showery weather will sneak into these region on Wednesday.
"A cold front will bring a corridor of heaviest rain from the Isle of Man to the southern coasts of South West England," AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.
"Showers and thunderstorms will have the best chance to be heavy during the afternoon and early evening," Roys said.
In this heavier period, rainfall rates could be as high as 12 to 25 mm per hour (0.50 to 1.00 inch per hour), leading to flash flooding problems.
"Some places have the potential to pick up as much as 50 mm (2 inches) by Thursday morning," Roys said. "Locally higher amounts will be possible."
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Low-lying and poor drainage areas will be most likely to get a quick rise in water levels. Ponding on roadways will also be possible into Wednesday night.
Those with outdoor plans Wednesday afternoon and evening will want to keep a close eye on the weather. This includes those heading to Millennium Square to sit in the outdoor Fan Zone and watch Team GB compete in the second full week of Olympics events in Rio.
By Thursday morning, some showers will linger across the region, but the heaviest rain will have ended.
Another round of showery weather will spread from southwest to northeast across the United Kingdom on Friday and during the weekend.
Temperatures are expected to return to near or slightly below normal during the wet weather.