Somerset Weather Forecast is More Misery for Flood Victims

Residents in the southwest of England hit by flooding are battening down for further misery with yet more rain forecast for this weekend.

Parts of Somerset and Devon which have been underwater for four weeks are in for further bad weather over the coming three days, with scant chance of a prolonged dry spell, warned the Met Office.

No fewer than eight flood warnings are in place for the southwest. The Met Office has also issued an amber warning for the start of the weekend – meaning more rain.

The long-term forecast is hardly less gloomy, with public officials in Somerset putting in place plans for flooding for weeks to come.

Soldiers from the Royal Engineers were deployed to help people stranded in the Somerset Levels. It seems the troops could be staying in the area for some time yet.

A Met Office spokeswoman told IBTimes UK said Somerset would be a "major concern" over the next few days.

"There's been a band of rain sweeping across the country and hitting Somerset this weekend and it will rain all afternoon and evening in the region," she said.

"It's not exceptional rainfall in itself but it is going to add to the disruption. The weather for the weekend is blustery showers. It's still looking unsettled with prolonged dry forecasts."

Looking further ahead, there is the prospect of high winds and heavy rain in parts of Somerset already hit hard by flooding. That will be bad news for people already cut off for weeks by high waters.

England and Wales are currently on course for the wettest January since 1766.

Pat Flaherty, deputy chief executive of Somerset County Council, told a press conference: "With potential for high winds and high tides and more rain passing through and falling on an already soaked catchment we have potential for further flooding over the weekend and with that ongoing flooding for a number of weeks to come.

"We're still working very closely with the military who remain in Somerset, planning with us and we also have the resilience of knowing that their equipment and personnel are ready to be mobilised should we require them."