Met Office issues 15 hour weather alert as severe flooding ravages UK – 19 areas hit

The Met Office has issued a 15-hour weather alert as severe flooding continues to cause chaos parts of the UK, affecting 19 areas across South West England and Wales.

And one dramatic clip even showed Telford United FC’s entire pitch underwater, with parts of the West Midlands particularly badly hit.

Meanwhile communities in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and Somerset are bracing for further downpours, with widespread disruption expected across the region, including Plymouth, Torbay, and the Isles of Scilly. North Somerset is also under threat as the intense weather system moves through.

In Wales, nine areas are at risk, including Cardiff, Swansea, and Bridgend. Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, and the Vale of Glamorgan are similarly facing the brunt of the floods, alongside Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Powys, and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

The has warned of potentially life-threatening conditions as persistent rainfall, accompanied by strong winds, could lead to further flooding in already saturated areas. Residents in affected regions are urged to remain vigilant, as road and rail services may face significant disruption.

Emergency services are on high alert, with ongoing efforts to protect properties and infrastructure from rising floodwaters. Many areas have already seen damage and travel delays, with coastal routes particularly vulnerable to large waves and spray.

The severe weather warning remains in place, with conditions expected to improve after Sunday evening when winds are forecast to ease. However, authorities continue to advise caution, as flooding and dangerous driving conditions could persist into the following week.

Areas across England have experienced heavy rain and localised flooding in recent days, with commuters facing widespread disruption to road and rail services.

An amber rain warning, issued by the for parts of the Midlands and the south of the country, and a separate yellow rain warning for large areas of England and Wales, both expired on Friday.

About 650 properties were flooded in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and the Home Counties, according to the Environment Agency, which estimated that approximately 8,200 properties had been protected.

Earlier, areas affected by the amber rain warning, including Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, and the West Midlands, were hit by flash floods, with the warning that these regions could see 30-40mm of rain in just three hours.

Rail services between Shrewsbury in Shropshire and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands were cancelled on Friday due to severe flooding at Wellington station and a tree falling on the line earlier.

The pitch at Telford’s SEAH Stadium in Wellington was completely flooded on Thursday evening.

Trains between Peterborough in the East Midlands and London King’s Cross were delayed due to flooding.

The Marston Vale line in Bedfordshire, which operates services between Bedford and Bletchley, is suspended until Monday because of standing water on the track.

National Highways reported that the M5 in Gloucestershire was closed northbound between junctions 16 and 14 due to flooding.

The motorway had reopened southbound between junctions 14 and 15, but hour-long delays and up to four miles of congestion persisted in both directions.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service had previously stated it was working with National Highways South West to rescue people stranded on the M5 in Gloucestershire.

Full list of affected areas:

South and West England

Cornwall

Devon

Dorset

Isles of Scilly

North Somerset

Plymouth

Somerset

Torbay

Wales

Bridgend

Cardiff

Carmarthenshire

Ceredigion

Gwynedd

Neath

Port Talbot

Pembrokeshire

Powys

Rhondda

Cynon

Taf

Swansea

Vale of Glamorgan