The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain on Wednesday, with parts of the UK facing the risk of flooding, travel disruption, and even power cuts.
Forecasters say some areas could see up to 60mm of rain in just a few hours, with the warning in place until 2pm. Thunderstorms are also possible, and strong coastal winds are expected along the English Channel.
The alert covers Hampshire, Southampton, West Berkshire, much of the South West, and Wales. Rain is expected to move in overnight, becoming heavier through the morning before easing into scattered showers later in the day.
“Many places will see between 20 and 30mm of rain, but some could get as much as 40 to 60mm in six to nine hours,” the Met Office said. “Coastal gales are also likely for a time.”
Drivers are being urged to plan ahead, as spray and flooding on the roads could make journeys longer and more dangerous. Households in areas prone to flooding are advised to prepare flood kits and have a plan in place just in case.
This wet and windy spell comes on the heels of a record-breaking summer. The Met Office confirmed that summer 2025 was the hottest ever recorded in the UK, with an average temperature of 16.1C between June and August—beating the previous record set in 2018.
The summer saw four separate heatwaves, with the highest temperature reaching 35.8C in Kent. While that’s well below the UK’s all-time high of 40.3C set in Lincolnshire in 2022, the sheer number of hot spells made this summer exceptional.
Looking ahead, forecasters warn that the unsettled weather could continue into September, with the aftereffects of Hurricane Erin and Tropical Storm Fernand likely to keep conditions wetter than usual. Temperatures, however, should stay on the warmer side for the time of year.
The Met Office added: “Climate change means years that once felt unremarkable are now breaking records. What used to be considered just warm weather is now amplified against the backdrop of rising baseline temperatures.” Photo by Richard Knights, Wikimedia commons.
