Much of Scotland is seeing persistent and heavy rain through the day on Thursday, with Amber and Yellow warnings issued. Yellow warnings for rain are also in force for much of Thursday for much of Northern Ireland, south Wales and parts of the southwest of England.

Met Office Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong said: “We’ve already seen heavy rain for much of Scotland overnight on Wednesday into Thursday, and this is likely to continue through much of today.

“Within the Amber warning area, some areas of high ground exposed to the strong southeasterly wind are likely to see in excess of 100 mm of rain through this event, whilst 50-80 mm is more probable for many places within the broader Yellow warning.”

Warnings highlight the likelihood of fast-flowing or deep floodwater, travel disruption and the chance of some communities being cut off due to flooding.

Neil continued: “While rainfall totals in Northern Ireland, south Wales and parts of the southwest of England won’t reach those that we’ll see in parts of Scotland, there’s still a potential for some disruption, particularly for travel, which has resulted in Yellow warnings for these areas.”

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More wet and windy weather on the way for some

On Friday, while rain will continue for eastern and central parts of Scotland, a slow-moving area of low pressure to the southwest brings wet and windy weather, with a rain and wind warning issued.

“An area of low pressure, named Storm Ingrid by the Portuguese national weather service, will bring spells of heavy rain and strong winds across much of southwest England on Friday before easing on Saturday morning,” said Neil.

“The system is slow-moving but will bring more than 20mm of rain for some which is falling on saturated ground, increasing the chances of impacts. In addition to rain, large waves and gusty winds are likely, especially along southern coasts, with 60mph peaks possible, with 45-50mph inland.”

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Extended range UK weather forecast

Low pressure will remain the driving force for much of the weekend’s weather, with a mixture of winds and rain for many through the weekend.

While much uncertainty remains into the start of next week, there’s a chance of wintry hazards at times, particularly in the north and east with the possibility of snow for some. With an easterly influence, cold weather, especially for those in the northeast, is on the cards with the potential for snowfall accumulations in places, though it’s too early to specify exact details.

Find out more about how snow is forecast in the UK.

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