Storm Conall is bringing heavy rainfall to south-east England, exacerbating the flood damage caused by Storm Bert. As of Wednesday morning, 99 flood warnings were issued across England, including a severe “danger to life” alert for the River Nene in Northamptonshire. There were also four warnings in Wales.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rainfall in parts of southern England from 22:00 GMT on Tuesday until midday on Wednesday. As a result, several train services were canceled due to flooded tracks.
Overnight rainfall on Tuesday caused nearly 50mm of rain to fall on Dartmoor, with many other areas of southern England receiving 20-30mm of rain. The rain continued through Wednesday morning, with totals expected to rise slightly in regions such as Dorset, Sussex, Surrey, Greater London, Essex, and Kent. The rain is associated with a developing low-pressure system crossing from west to east over southern England.
Despite the heavy rain, the Met Office believes that areas already flooded by Storm Bert, such as those in parts of England and Wales, will see lower totals of 3-8mm, meaning further flooding is unlikely in these areas.
Train services have been severely impacted, with cancellations on multiple routes, including the Gatwick Express. Thameslink passengers were advised not to travel in the morning, while delays were reported on many London Underground lines due to high passenger volumes.
Conall’s worst impact is expected in the Netherlands, but strong winds will affect parts of eastern England later on Wednesday as the storm develops over the North Sea.
Flood warnings remain in place along several rivers, including the River Severn, River Avon, and River Nene. The severe flood warning for the Billing Aquadrome holiday park and nearby businesses in Northamptonshire remains active following the major incident declared over the weekend.
Storm Bert, which passed through the UK over the weekend, caused major disruption, flooding, and at least five deaths. Communities are still cleaning up after the devastation, with homes, roads, and rail networks heavily impacted.
Storm Conall is the third “named” storm of the season, following Ashley and Bert. The storm naming system, launched in 2015, is used by the Met Office, the Dutch Weather Service, and Met Eireann to communicate storm warnings more effectively. The storm season runs from early September to late August the following year.