Nearly a month's worth of rainfall will batter parts of the UK in just a few hours today, with the Met Office issuing two yellow weather warnings. The worst-hit areas across Wales could see up to 70mm of rain in a short timeframe, creating significant flooding risks for homes and businesses.
The downpours will sweep eastwards throughout Wednesday, with communities in southwest Wales bearing the brunt of the extreme weather. Swansea typically receives 75-80mm of rain across an entire September, according to Express reports, making today's potential 70mm particularly alarming. Areas around Merthyr Tydfil and Llandeilo near the Brecon Beacons face similar risks.
North Wales will also experience severe conditions, with Gwynedd including most of Snowdonia National Park under weather warnings. Harlech typically experiences 80mm of rain across a whole September, yet today's 60mm peaks still pose significant flooding threats that could cut off communities.
Morning commute chaos
The timing couldn't be worse for travellers, with the worst conditions expected during the 6am to 11am window, according to Daily Star reports. This coincides directly with the morning rush hour, threatening widespread transport disruption across affected regions.
The Met Office warns that heavy rain will become persistent across south and southwest Wales during Wednesday morning and continue for much of the day. Rain totals of 30-40mm are expected widely, with south-west facing hills receiving the heaviest falls of 50-70mm.
Daily Star reports identify 15 specific areas under the warnings: Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd, Powys, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, and Vale of Glamorgan.
Flood alerts active
Flood alerts are already in place across multiple river systems, including warnings for the River Greta and River Derwent in Cumbria near Keswick campsites. Natural Resources Wales has issued several flood alerts for rivers in the upper Towy catchment upstream of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire.
Additional concerns exist for rivers in Llanelli and neighbouring areas of Llangennech, Pwll and Burry Port. Lesser degree warnings affect the Exmoor Rivers in Devon and the Upper River Tamar along the Devon-Cornwall border.
The Met Office expects spray and flooding on roads to make journey times longer, with bus and train services probably affected. Power supply interruptions and other service disruptions are also possible as the severe weather system moves eastward across the Midlands and into eastern England by afternoon.
Sources used: "Mirror", "Express", "Daily Star"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
