Will Dennis be deadly? Storm threatens to lash British with six inches of torrential rain, life threatening floods and winds of up to 70mph this weekend with fears that homes and businesses could be washed away
- The Met Office has raised alerts to amber across Dartmoor, south Devon, Wales, the Pennines and Yorkshire
- Storm Dennis likely to cause gusts of up to 50mph until midday tomorrow before rising to 70mph in the south
- It will also bring mild temperatures of up to 14C (57F) before returning to cold and blustery weather next week
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‘Danger to life’ weather warnings during Storm Dennis have been upgraded as downpours are set to lash the country for the second weekend running.
Following four deaths during Storm Ciara last week, the Met Office raised the alert to amber for Dartmoor and south Devon, most of Wales, the Pennines and large swathes of Yorkshire – where up to 5.5 inches of rain is expected to fall.
The amber warning area includes towns in West Yorkshire where hundreds of homes were flooded after Storm Ciara brought more than a month’s rain last weekend.
A rainbow appeared over Clayfield Copse, Berkshire, yesterday morning during the calm before Storm Dennis sweeps across the country bringing inches of torrential rain
The sunrise at Christchurch Quay, Dorset, was captured yesterday morning as the UK braces itself for more weather disruption for the second weekend running
In York, where the Ouse peaked at more than 14ft on Tuesday, river levels remained high at nearly 11ft yesterday.
‘Homes and businesses are likely to be flooded.
‘Fast-flowing or deep flood water is likely, causing danger to life,’ the Met Office said.
The Met Office raised the alert to amber for Saturday (left) and Sunday (right) across Dartmoor and south Devon, most of Wales, the Pennines and large swathes of Yorkshire – where up to 5.5 inches of rain is expected to fall
Storm Dennis is likely to cause gusts of up to 50mph around the country until midday tomorrow, rising to 70mph in southern and western coastal areas
Storm Dennis is likely to cause gusts of up to 50mph around the country until midday tomorrow, rising to 70mph in southern and western coastal areas.
But last night rail firms had not warned passengers not to travel – unlike during Storm Ciara, which brought gales of up to 97mph.
The amber warning is in place from noon today until 3pm tomorrow and a wider yellow weather warning for heavy rain is in place until 9pm.
Yesterday in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire, officials were seen desperately trying to prepare for Storm Dennis by using sandbags as flood defences
Many in Mytholmroyd are still dealing with the aftermath of Storm Ciara which brought gales of up to 97mph
This covers southern England, the North West, Wales, Cumbria and the Pennines, with up to two inches of rain forecast.
Storm Dennis will also bring mild temperatures of up to 14C (57F) in southern England this weekend, before returning to cold and blustery weather next week.
Steven Willington, of the Met Office, said: ‘There is a risk of significant impacts from flooding, including damage to property and danger to life from fast flowing floodwater.’