The Met Office is warning of severe adverse weather in Somerset over the next 24 hours.
- A Red warning for wind is in place from 3am to 11am on Saturday for north coastal regions of county, with wind speeds up to 90 mph possible. Red is the highest level of alert and means there is possible danger to life.
- An Amber warning is in place from 1am-9pm Saturday across all of Somerset, with wind speeds of up to 60-65 mph.
- Police are advising essential travel only in Red and Amber areas. If you have to travel, please leave more time and check National Highways and Somerset Council social media channels for the latest on road closures.
- Some rain is also expected this evening – it is not expected to be extreme.
- There is currently one flood warning in place for Curry Moor and Hay Moor on the Levels and a number of alerts in place, but it is possible this may change over the weekend.
Check here to monitor the situation in your area.
A Government SMS warning will be issued later this evening to phone in affected areas, signposting to weather warnings.
Key Advice
- Only travel in the Amber and Red areas if your journey is essential. If you have to travel, please leave more time and check before you travel.
- Residents should take steps to secure any outside furniture and decorations, such as Christmas decorations, this evening. Flying debris can cause injuries and damage.
- Keep aware from coastal areas. High waves are expected during the severe weather period and this can be extremely dangerous close to the shore.
- Events are being cancelled over the weekend. Please check before setting off.
- Keep an eye on weather forecasts for your area as they can change
Flooding and roads – key information
Some rain is also expected this evening. There is currently one flood warning in place for Curry Moor and Hay Moor on the Levels and a number of alerts in place, but it is possible this may change over the weekend.
Heavy rain and flooding present a potential danger to drivers – road users are urged NOT to attempt to drive across flooded roads as it is not possible to estimate the depth of the water reliably.
It’s vital to prepare for wet conditions if you have to travel and to proceed with extreme caution if you get caught in flood conditions – you can find information and advice here: Adverse weather conditions (somersetroadsafety.org)
If you spot a problem with a drain or gully, or any issue on the highway you can report it easily and quickly here: Report a problem on the road (somerset.gov.uk).
What to do during a flood
There is information to help you on what to do during a flood on the Somerset Prepared website. The key point is to always stay safe, in an immediate flood emergency or where there is a risk to life, follow the advice of the emergency services.
How to report
We’re encouraging people to get in touch if they are affected by flooding.
Anyone who has experienced property flooding can email: flooding@somerset.gov.uk so Somerset Council can gather information about flood prone areas.
