Flood alert as month’s rain set to fall in just two days

TEAMS of Environment Agency workers are out in force to check flood defences, clear blockages, and monitor river levels amid warnings that as much as a month’s worth of rain could fall in two days this week.

An amber alert – the second most severe category that can be given – has been issued for Yorkshire tomorrow, with the East Riding and Lincolnshire potentially worst affected.

Residents are warned to expect more flooding and to be prepared.

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The average UK rainfall for July is 69.9mm (2.8in), and 64.4mm (2.5in) for the north of England.

Met Office chief forecaster Martin Young said: “We are expecting outbreaks of heavy rain across a wide area of the UK, with worst affected spots likely to be in central and northern parts of the country.

“Rainfall totals could be 40-60mm (1.6-2.4in) widely across warning areas, but some places could see up to 100mm (3.9in of rain through Friday and into Saturday.

“Given the saturated ground from the record rainfall in June, this could cause disruption – including difficult driving conditions and flooding in some areas.”

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The Environment Agency said there was a risk of surface water and river flooding across the North.

Its teams are clearing blockages to prevent flooding around culverts and bridges as well as checking flood defences to make sure they are ready to operate.

Last month was the wettest June since records began, with 145.3mm (5.7in), double the average for the month, and more than the previous record of 136.2mm (5.4in) in June 2007 when large parts of Yorkshire were swamped.

Nearly 1,000 businesses and homes in the upper Calder Valley were damaged when a month’s worth of rain fell in a few days.

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York Racecourse, meanwhile, could be onto a winner with an explanation of why people feel so miserable about weeks of relentless rain.

A study of the rain gauges at the Knavesmire weather station has revealed 70 per cent of the precipitation recorded last month fell on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The 113mm (4.4in) of rain recorded by the course in June compares with 195mm (7.6in) in the corresponding month five years ago. The good news is that August 2007 was a dry one – just 30mm (1.1in) fell – and the Ebor festival went ahead in fine weather.

York Racecourse head of marketing James Brennan said: “The statistical analysis does offer hope for July, it is usually a drier month and if last year is repeated then the majority of the rain seems to come in the working week- good news for all the village fetes, fun runs and race meetings scheduled for the weeks ahead.”

Racing latest: Page 21.