City on flood watch as three days of heavy rain is forecast

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain extending widely across England from Tuesday onwards.

Streets Ahead contractor Amey says it has “emergency procedures” in place if there is any flooding and will respond quickly.

Melissa Wise, project director at Amey Streets Ahead said: “Our teams are busy preparing for expected heavy rain, forecast for our area over coming days.

“Areas of the city known to experience localised flooding are already being checked, and gullies and culverts are being cleared of any leaf litter and debris to ensure affected roads are able to drain any excess water as quickly as possible.

“We have emergency procedures in place should significant flooding occur and our teams are on standby ready to respond quickly to any reports of flooding in the city if the heavy rain arrives.

“We would advise people to take extra care when travelling on the city’s roads during extreme weather.”

Any issues can be reported to Streets Ahead directly on 0114 273 4567.

While the country was in the grip of a heatwave in June 2018, it’s a very different story this week.

On Tuesday it will be wet and windy throughout the day with persistent rain, sometimes heavy with risk of thunder. There will be strong winds and it will feel unseasonably chilly. Wednesday and Thursday will be cold with further rain and strong winds.

The Met Office says it is struggling to predict which areas will be worst hit.

Steve Ramsdale, duty chief meteorologist for the Met Office, said: “The development of weather conditions leading to thunderstorms and intense rainfall can happen extremely quickly, creating a challenge for forecasters.

“We have been able to indicate the likelihood of further spells of heavy rainfall for the rest of the week, but the exact details will remain uncertain until nearer the events.

“We will update warnings accordingly, but we urge people to continue to check the forecast and the app for updates during this period.”

The council is working closely with the Environment Agency and the Met Office to monitor forecasts, including river levels.

The Environment Agency will keep people updated on flood warnings on its website

https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings