More than 100 flood warnings as Storm Chandra disruption continues

Cars and homes were submerged in Weycroft, Axminster

Flooding and travel disruption from Storm Chandra has continued, after the third named storm of the year lashed the country with heavy wind and rain on Tuesday.

More than 100 flood warnings are in place across the UK, with yellow warnings for ice in force across much of the country during the morning rush hour.

People have been told to evacuate a residential park in Dorset, where a severe “danger to life” flood warning has been issued for the Lower Stour, near Bournemouth.

A major incident was declared in Somerset on Tuesday evening where around 50 properties were hit by floods. More disruption in the area is possible, and a yellow rain warning is in place for south-west England on Thursday.

National Rail has warned the poor weather could impact journeys until Friday across England, Scotland and Wales.

In Dorset, residents of the Iford Bridge Home Park have been advised to evacuate “as quickly as possible” with a bag of essential items and medications.

The severe warning means flooding could case danger to life in the area, the Environment Agency said.

Power will need to be switched off ahead of the flooding, and residents must “prepare to be away from your home overnight”, the agency added.

The complex of about 80 homes on the banks of the River Stour was previously flooded last January and in November 2024.

Storm Chandra arrived just days after Storm Ingrid caused major damage and disruption over the weekend, meaning rain fell on already saturated ground in many places.

Risk of flooding remains on Wednesday morning, with 93 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and 229 flood alerts, where it is possible, issued across England.

In Wales, there were 13 flood alerts in place on Wednesday morning, with eight flood warnings and three flood alerts across Scotland.

After a cold start with a few icy patches, many areas will have dry weather with spells of sunshine on Wednesday.

In northeast Scotland, the leftovers from Storm Chandra will continue to bring some wet and windy weather. Showers are forecast in south Wales and southwest England today, but these won’t make the flooding any worse.

More rain is forecast for both Thursday and Friday with around 10-20mm falling in southwest England, which may cause some further flooding problems.

Meanwhile, a spell of snow over the Pennines and Southern Uplands early on Friday could bring 2-7cm of snow above 200m elevation, causing tricky travelling conditions.

Tuesday saw two severe flood warnings, indicating danger to life, issued in England. Both have since been lifted.

They were issued for Upper Frome, Dorchester, and Ottery St Mary, Devon – where the Environment Agency said the River Otter had reached its highest recorded level.

“At the moment, it’s a raging torrent,” Jackie Blackford, whose house overlooks the river, told BBC Radio Devon on Tuesday. “It is horrendous – I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Schools were closed in some parts of England and Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

The heavy rain saw several locations – including Katesbridge in Northern Ireland, Mountbatten in Plymouth and Hurn in Dorset – set new January daily rainfall records.

In Northern Ireland, a peak of more than 10,000 properties were without power and more than 300 schools were closed. Peak wind gusts reached 80mph at Orlock Head on the Ards Peninsula.

Several domestic flights and ferry services were cancelled.

Outside the UK, the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) in the Republic of Ireland said around 20,000 homes, farms and businesses were without power on Tuesday.

Storm Chandra is the third major storm to hit the UK in January, arriving shortly after Ingrid and Goretti – the latter of which was described by the Met Office as among the most impactful to hit Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in 30-35 years.