UK Weather: Exeter Airport closed due to floods – as more than a month’s rain is expected in one day | UK News
The Met Office says up to 12cm of rain fell in the area around Taunton and Bridgewater in Somerset on Sunday, which is more than the average rainfall for the whole of September.
Sunday 17 September 2023 at 22:16, United Kingdom
Exeter Airport was forced to close on Sunday due to flash flooding, as severe weather warnings were issued for large parts of the UK.
In Somerset, the Met Office said up to 12cm of rain had fallen in the area around Taunton and Bridgewater, which was more than the average rainfall for the whole of September.
A video of Exeter Airport on social media showed people standing in shallow water on the terminal level.
A Devon Airport spokesman said: “Following flash flooding on Sunday afternoon which caused the airport to close, our teams have been working through the night to clean up and we expect to open the airport (Monday morning).”
“We advise passengers to check with their airlines for the latest information about their flight, and please bear with us as we do our best to return all airport operations to normal.”
At least five upcoming flights, arriving from locations including Newcastle and Zante in Greece, were listed as canceled on the airport’s website on Sunday afternoon.
A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms has been issued across parts of Devon and Somerset until Sunday afternoon.
Heavy rain has caused heavy rain in southwest England, with localized flooding in south Devon.
Further east, the Met Office issued a yellow thunderstorm warning until 6am on Monday, covering an area including Portsmouth, Brighton, London, Oxford, Peterborough and Norwich.
The Met Office said there was “the potential for homes and businesses to be rapidly inundated”, with possible damage to buildings.
Bus and train services may be delayed or cancelled.
Read more:
Sky News’s latest weather forecast
Forecasters are predicting a wet and windy end to the UK’s short-lived heatwave in September, with a spell of dismal weather expected across much of the UK next week.
Forecasters said there will be more heavy rain and thunderstorms on Monday, although the weather will turn drier and brisk from the west into the evening.
It will also be increasingly windy, especially during and around heavy rain or thunderstorms.
Read more:
The names of the upcoming Storm include the famous comic book character
How does the omega block cause extreme weather?
Later in the week, the forecast remains “unstable”, according to the Met Office, with “strong winds and rain on Tuesday and Wednesday”.
Widespread rain is expected on Thursday, with hail and thunder possible.
Earlier this month, a new record was set For the seventh day in a row, temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius in the United Kingdom – The longest distance ever recorded in the month of September.
