Met Office weather warning: Floods, freezing temperatures and snow flurries forecast

12 February 2022, 18:22 | Updated: 12 February 2022, 18:24

The UK is braced for freezing temperatures, snow and heavy rain over the coming days, as the Met Office issues a yellow weather warning.

On Sunday parts of the UK will experience heavy downpours which could lead to disruption to travel and flooding whilst snowfall could be on the way for Valentines day.

Weather experts at the Met Office issued the warning, which come into force at midnight on Saturday and will last until 6pm on Sunday, as it predicts as much as 100mm of rain could fall over a 12 hour period.

The warning reads: "Heavy rain is expected across Wales on Sunday. This follows a wet Saturday for many with widely 40-60 mm of rain during the weekend and some spots perhaps seeing 100 mm or more.

"Bus and train services probably affected with journey times taking longer. Spray and flooding on roads probably making journey times longer.

"Flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely."

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Snow flurries are then expected to sweep across northern parts of the UK on Valentine's Day with temperatures set to plummet as low as -10C.

Forecasters predicted snow showers for Scotland on Monday, while the Met Office said northern England could also see some hill snow towards the start of the weekend.

Experts say the change in weather is due to an "active jet stream" which will drive a series of low-pressure systems across the country.

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The first of these low-pressure systems will cross to the north of Scotland on Saturday, bringing wet and windy weather in from the north and west for the start of the weekend. England, Wales, and southern Scotland will see outbreaks of rain.

The Southeast, however, will stay dry with some sunshine, the wind and rain arriving Saturday night.

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Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Steve Ramsdale, said: "A new area of low-pressure, this time moving across England and Wales, arrives on Saturday night then slowly clears to the east on Sunday.

"This brings wet and windy weather to the country, particularly Wales, and we have issued a Yellow National Severe Weather Warning for rain for this.

"As the system pulls away from the UK there will be another short lived, colder and more settled spell Monday night with one or two wintry showers possible over high ground in Scotland and perhaps a frost elsewhere."

More unsettled weather is forecast for many on Tuesday, with rain and showers crossing the country, before the arrival of another deep low-pressure system on Wednesday.

The Met office said the changes in the weather "will be closely watched" adding there is the potential for further National Severe Weather Warnings to be issued for wind and rain as the week develops.