The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain as heavy downpours are set to batter large parts of the country overnight. The warning, which is in place from 7pm on Tuesday, January 3 to 3am on Wednesday, January 4 warns some higher ground could see 50mm of rain overnight.
The warning comes after reports of an arctic blast set to hit the UK with temperatures once again dropping to minus degrees in parts. However, the Met Office have debunked this, telling WalesOnline that the most likely outcome for January is that it will continue to remain "changeable with temperatures generally on the mild side".
Nevertheless it looks as though rain is set to continue despite the mild temperatures. The yellow weather warning reads: "A spell of heavy rain is expected to develop through Tuesday evening and clear east during early Wednesday morning, following a day of fairly persistent rain across much of Wales. During this evening and night, a further 15-25 mm of rain is expected widely; in a few places this amount could fall in 3-4 hours. Some higher ground may see 40-50 mm of rain overnight."
Read more: Met Office responds to reports of Arctic blast and snow 'covering UK within days'
Alex Burkill, senior operational meteorologist, said that after a chilly day on Monday, it will "turn wet, windy and milder" from Tuesday. He added: "There will be some heavy rain for Wales, 40-50mm likely over the mountain. The rest of the week will be changeable but mild with wind and rain more of a concern than anything wintry."
Looking towards the rest of the month, he said: "At the moment the most likely outcome for next week, and much of January, is a continuation of the current westerly pattern we have. As such it will remain changeable with temperatures generally on the mild side. That being said, some colder interludes are likely."
Areas covered by the warning:
- Wales
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Carmarthenshire
- Ceredigion
- Conwy
- Gwynedd
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
The Met Office forecast for Wales
Wednesday, January 4: "A day of sunshine and showers, though these mainly confined to the north and near the coasts. Winds gradually easing through the day, and feeling mild. Maximum temperature 12 °C."
Thursday to Saturday: "Cloudy with further outbreaks of rain and strong winds on Thursday. Turning brighter and calmer for a time on Friday, before further rain and strong winds arrive into the weekend."
Saturday, January 7 to Monday, January 16: "A band of rain is expected to push in from the west through Saturday, heavier in the west and clearing eastern coasts through the afternoon, possibly persisting longer in the southeast. Blustery showers will follow in the west, perhaps wintry over hills, with a risk of coastal gales.
"Through into next week, a continuation of this unsettled theme is most likely. Wettest and windiest conditions are expected across the west and northwest, where showers will sometimes merge into longer spells of rain, with a chance of snow mainly on high ground. Drier conditions are more probable to the south, with occasional rain at times.
"Disruptive winds remain a risk, particularly for the northwest and other exposed coasts. Temperature widely average to mild throughout, with some colder spells in the north."
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