The storm shares its name with Traitors’ host Claudia Winkleman, but not even the Faithful will be spared the battering set to hit the UK on Friday as “danger to life” weather warnings are issued
Brits have been warned to not ignore warnings about life-threatening floods as Storm Claudia sweeps across Britain – dropping a month’s worth of rain in just a few hours.
The tempest – which has already battered the Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal – will unleash gusts of up to 70mph and 80mm of rainfall in some areas of the UK on Friday.
The Met Office has issued amber “danger to life” warnings for central England and parts of Wales amid the threat of severe flooding. It warned rivers could burst their banks during the deluge over the next 24 hours.
Much of the rest of England and Wales are covered by yellow warnings of heavy rain and winds. Travel chaos is expected on roads, rail and in the air.
Met Office meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “Storm Claudia will bring very heavy rainfall. This will become slow-moving, and some areas could see up to a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.
“Much of this will fall on saturated ground, increasing the chances of flooding. Within the amber warning areas, some could see in excess of 5.9ins, with 2.5 to 3.5ins fairly widely.”
“Gusty winds in the North West of England and north-west Wales is an additional hazard, with 60-70mph gusts possible in exposed places within the warning area.”
British Weather Services’ Jim Dale told the Mirror the storm has been “different straight away” and stressed: “People should not ignore the warnings that are out there.” He added: “Storm Claudia is mainly focused on rain as opposed to wind.”
And he warned motorists to “not drive into flooded roads” – where water is around four to five inches deep – and said it would be particularly dangerous if the water on these roads is moving, as this could lead to the vehicle becoming stuck in the flood.
The AA has also advised against travelling in the “hazardous weather”, saying: “Safety comes first. Conditions may change quickly, so stay updated and make sure you’re prepared before you travel.”
It added: “Conditions may change quickly, so stay updated and make sure you’re prepared before you travel. Flood water can appear quickly, and even shallow water can be dangerous – never try to drive through it.”
Unlike many named storms, Claudia – named by the Spanish Meteorological Service – is not expected to directly cross the country, and instead will maintain its position in the West, the Met Office said.
The Environment Agency issued 13 flood warnings ahead of Claudia’s arrival, with dozens more likely in the coming hours. Flood manager Ben Lukey said: “Significant surface water flooding is probable. Significant river flooding is also possible.”
Rain will begin to clear by Saturday before much colder weather arrives.
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