Weather: Fortnight's rain expected in a day as first big autumn storm hits. The Guardian

[WD-40]

South-west and Wales expected to bear brunt of bad weather as cases of seasonal affective disorder rise

The equivalent of a fortnight's average rainfall is expected to deluge parts of the UK today as a miserable summer is followed by the first big storm of the autumn. Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected to sweep in from the Atlantic, with forecasters warning that some areas will suffer localised flooding.

South-west England and Wales will bear the brunt of today's storms, with 50mm of rain and 50mph winds expected. The north-west, which had both sun and showers yesterday afternoon, is not likely to escape the downpour either as the poor weather moves to affect northern areas.

The latest instalment of foul weather follows one of the wettest Augusts on record. The Met Office has issued a weather warning because of the heavy rain.

"We have yet another area of low pressure swinging into south-west England during the morning. A band of heavy rain will move north and north-east across the whole of Britain," a spokeswoman said. "Ultimately it will have started raining in the early hours in southern England, and this will spread northwards towards lunchtime. Humberside and north Wales will see the heaviest of the rain."

She said more than 50mm was expected to fall in places, particularly on higher ground, equivalent to half the monthly rainfall in southern England and south Wales (106mm a month).

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[rolf]

Looks like you'd better get your wellies on Beryl.

[Chocky]

Permanent dress fixture down here

[WD-40]

Worst of weather in south-west and Wales, with Met Office warning more rain likely next week

Swaths of Britain were on flood alert last night as the first of the autumn storms lashed the country, causing road and rail chaos and leaving scores of householders mopping up yet again.

The worst of the weather was in the south-west, where two people were killed in a car crash in driving rain, and in Wales, where rivers rose to hazardous levels after 50mm of rain fell in 24 hours on ground that was already saturated.

Last night a 17-year-old girl died after the four-by-four she was in overturned and plunged into a swollen river in Mid Wales, Dyfed-Powys Police said.

RAF helicopters airlifted three of the vehicle's occupants to hospital in Aberystwyth. Two of them were suffering from hypothermia, but the girl, who has not been named, died on arrival.

There were two severe flood warnings, meaning "extreme danger" to lives and property, on the rivers Taff and Rhymney in south Wales and a further 25 flood warnings and 62 flood watches across Britain.

Environment Agency and Met Office experts warned that the bad weather was likely to continue into next week, which could lead to more serious flooding.

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