Britain disobey the god of storm as Abigail dumps floods

Storm-ravaged Britain is now on severe flood alert as the remnants of a tropical cyclone dump two months' rain this weekend.

Hot on the heels of Storm Abigail which ripped through the north yesterday today, ex-Hurricane Kate threatens more weather misery.

Forecasters say torrential downpours tomorrow and Sunday will trigger floods across Britain as gales top 70mph.

The Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have issued a raft of warnings and alerts.

The Met Office warned up to eight inches of rain could fall over the next 48 hours with flood water likely to flow off hills in torrents.

They issue severe weather warnings, such as an amber alert, when there is "the potential to cause danger to life."

Forecaster Helen Chivers said: "A slow moving frontal system is bringing moist tropical air across the UK from the west resulting in some heavy and persistent rain, especially over exposed hills.

Some of the more exposed parts of north Wales and northwest England could possibly see as much as 150-200mm.

"The Environment Agency is concerned that this amount of additional rainfall falling on to already saturated ground could well lead to flooding, either from standing water, or from rivers bursting their banks."

Coastal communities are braced for waves to tumble over defences while rising rivers threaten to burst their banks. The outlook shows worrying similarity to last winter and the year before which both saw the country crippled by floods.

The winter of 2013/14 saw the Somerset levels swamped under feet of flood water as fears grow the same could happen in the coming weeks.

Storm-ravaged Britain is now on severe flood alert as the remnants of a tropical cyclone dump two months' rain this weekend.

Hot on the heels of Storm Abigail which ripped through the north yesterday today, ex-Hurricane Kate threatens more weather misery.

Forecasters say torrential downpours tomorrow and Sunday will trigger floods across Britain as gales top 70mph.

The Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have issued a raft of warnings and alerts.

The Met Office warned up to eight inches of rain could fall over the next 48 hours with flood water likely to flow off hills in torrents.

They issue severe weather warnings, such as an amber alert, when there is "the potential to cause danger to life."

Forecaster Helen Chivers said: "A slow moving frontal system is bringing moist tropical air across the UK from the west resulting in some heavy and persistent rain, especially over exposed hills.

Rising sea levels: A train passes the seafront in Saltcoats, as Storm Abigail hits the UK

Snow: A van drives through Carrbridge in the Scottish Highlands

"Some of the more exposed parts of north Wales and northwest England could possibly see as much as 150-200mm.

"The Environment Agency is concerned that this amount of additional rainfall falling on to already saturated ground could well lead to flooding, either from standing water, or from rivers bursting their banks."

Coastal communities are braced for waves to tumble over defences while rising rivers threaten to burst their banks.

"Keep your speed down and take extra care when it gets dark; and, if the road ahead is flooded, don't chance it - just turn round and find an alternative route," he urged.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: "Modern cars have improved incredibly, but they are still far from waterproof and driving through water that is too deep can have catastrophic results for both cars and lives.

"Any driver thinking of going through floodwater needs to be absolutely confident that it is shallow enough to make it through without stopping and water being sucked into the engine."

Looming: Heavy rain and high winds cause the water levels to rise at Bowness, Windemere in the Lake District

The outlook shows worrying similarity to last winter and the year before which both saw the country crippled by floods.

The winter of 2013/14 saw the Somerset levels swamped under feet of flood water as fears grow the same could happen in the coming weeks.

Rising sea levels: A train passes the seafront in Saltcoats, as Storm Abigail hits the UK

Max Holdstock, of the AA, said the amount of rain forecast over a relatively short period could lead to a risk of travel disruption across low-lying areas, and potentially some serious flooding.

"Drains - sometimes blocked with autumn leaf-fall - struggle to cope, so standing water and reduced visibility will create challenging driving conditions.