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Amber weather warning issued as Britain faces over a month's worth of rain in weekend washout

The weather service has issued a danger to life warning

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Storm Claudia is set to batter Britain, with the amber and yellow weather warnings extending across areas on Friday and into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Storm Claudia is set to batter Britain, with the amber and yellow weather warnings extending across areas on Friday and into the early hours of Saturday morning. Picture: Alamy

By Danielle de Wolfe

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning - with Britain to face a month's worth of rain in 24 hours.

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Storm Claudia, previously named by the Spanish Meteorological Service, is set to bring with it "persistent and heavy" rain, with additional yellow weather warnings for wind and rain in place across the country.

The national weather service's warning comes as the storm closes in on the UK, with the weather front set to strike Britain around midday on Friday.

Met office weather warnings for Friday and Saturday
Met office weather warnings for Friday and Saturday. Picture: PA

UK residents have also been told to brace for "strong winds" that will bring disruption and "possible flooding" across some areas.

The amber warning covers large parts of Wales, with areas across central and south-east England also affected and extends from 12:00 to 23:59 on Friday.

The warning was upgraded from an initial yellow weather warning on Thursday.

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The weather office warned that western, central and southern parts of the UK could see a "loss of power and other essential services, such as gas, water or mobile phone services" as a result of the storm.

It added that "fast flowing or deep floodwater is possible, causing a danger to life".

Heavy rain and strong winds will bring disruption and possible flooding across central and south-east England
Heavy rain and strong winds will bring disruption and possible flooding across central and south-east England. Picture: alamy
The weather front set to strike Britain around midday on Friday.
The weather front set to strike Britain around midday on Friday. Picture: Alamy

Some areas of the UK are set to face 50-75mm of rain, with warnings that some higher ground could see as much as 100-150 mm - the equivalent of around 150-litres of water per meter squared - a figure that's accompanied by flood warnings.

Rain will gradually spread further north across the UK, through Friday and into the early hours of Saturday morning.

"Impacts may be exacerbated by strong easterly winds, as well as thunderstorms later Friday afternoon and evening," the Met Office said on Thursday.

Storm Claudia has brought heavy rain and even hail across Spain as the weather system landed in Europe.

It comes as the weather body warned that snow could be on the horizon, with November temperatures dipping notably.