soldier carries woman out of flooded house
The Met Office have issued 51 flood warnings, nine of which are severe. Reuters

The floods in the north of the UK may seem to have peaked but with Storm Frank ready to hit already affected areas on Tuesday night (December 29) some of the worst devastation may still be to come. The Met Office have issued 51 flood warnings for England and Wales, nine of which are severe.

Western parts of the UK will be first hit by gales reaching up to 80mph. The strongest winds are expected in north-west Scotland and Shetland.

Heavy rainfall will also occur, continuing into Wednesday (29 December). Some areas of south-west Scotland and Cumbria are expected to get 100-150mm of rainfall.

Will Lang, Met Office Chief Meteorologist, said: "We expect stormy conditions to return midweek, and have already issued National Severe Weather Warnings for gales on Tuesday and heavy rain on Wednesday, as a rapidly deepening area of low pressure, Storm Frank, passes to the north-west of the UK.

"Everyone should be aware of the potential for disruption in places from further flooding and the impacts of the gales to transport, especially in areas such as southern and central Scotland and Cumbria, where Amber 'be prepared' warnings are in place."

Amber alerts for rainfall are in place for Wednesday in north-west England, Strathclyde, Central Scotland, Tayside, Fife, Dumfries, Galloway, Lothian and the Borders. Persistent, heavy rainfall is expected on Tuesday over parts of Northern Ireland, west and south-west Scotland, before spreading to north-west England and Wales through Wednesday.

Because of the hazardous conditions, drivers are being told take extra care.Transport Minister for Scotland, Derek Mackay said: "Surface water and spray could make driving conditions difficult and there may be some localised flooding."

"Drivers should travel with extra care and drive to the conditions. We strongly advise all road users plan their journeys in advance by checking the Traffic Scotland website and Twitter feed for the latest information before setting off on your journey and factor in extra time as travel may take longer than usual."

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