Overview
- Met Office amber rain alerts take effect from noon Friday to midnight across parts of Wales, the Midlands, the South West, the South East and East of England, with broader yellow warnings for rain and wind.
- Forecasters expect 60–80mm of rain widely and 100–150mm on higher ground in Wales, raising the likelihood of surface water and river flooding on already saturated ground.
- Gusts of 60–70mph are possible in exposed parts of northwest Wales and northwest England, with Greater Manchester forecast to peak near 55mph on Friday evening.
- Natural Resources Wales has issued more than 20 flood alerts and says flooding is expected in multiple areas including Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Torfaen.
- Rail operators have cut services and issued do‑not‑travel advice on key routes, while councils in Wales announced precautionary closures including a Caerphilly school and several Rhondda Cynon Taff facilities.