UK floods : Warning issued for days and months of misery to come

mirror.co.uk · Feb 18, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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People have been urged to "remain vigilant to the risk of flooding" with large parts of the UK already hard hit - and more facing a similar hell with heavy rain on the way13:57, 18 Feb 2026Parts of Britain could face flood misery for weeks or even months to come, the Environment Agency and Met Office have warned.‌Homeowners and businesses across the South West of England were today urged to "remain vigilant" as forecasters predicted wet weather is set to continue for another month. High tides and strong winds could also bring tidal flood risk in some places during the same period, experts warned.‌And that is on top of groundwater levels currently rising across the South and South East of England, with minor flooding already occurring. It comes after weeks of wet weather which has seen some parts of the country hit by their wettest January since records began, including over 40 consecutive days of rain.‌READ MORE: Met Office extends snow warning as 32 areas now face several inches within hoursREAD MORE: Andrew royal protection cops 'turned blind eye' in Epstein island visitsJulie Foley, Director of Flood Risk Strategy & National Adaptation, said: “With the weather conditions continuing to remain unsettled, I urge the public to remain vigilant to the risk of flooding. Environment Agency officers will continue to work around the clock across the country, supporting communities with pumps, temporary barriers and by clearing waterways to ensure flood water can drain away. Our thoughts are with the households, businesses and farmers who have been flooded."The warning came after the Met Office issued yellow weather warnings covering central and southern England, as well as much of Wales, for today and tomorrow. Commuters have been told to expect black ice and are advised to allow more time for road and rail journeys. And further cold weather warnings for most of England have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency until 6pm on Friday.‌Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.Experts say further bands of heavy rain in the next few days mean river flooding is expected to continue in Somerset, while "ongoing significant groundwater flood impacts" are also probable in Dorset and Wiltshire.Thames Water has activated its response plans to help manage sewage flooding in the areas due to the higher groundwater flooding. And the Environment Agency has said it is also working with partners to support operational response.‌As of 8am on Wednesday, 65 flood warnings and 179 flood alerts remained in place following overnight flooding, including in Torcross, Devon. Forecasters say that from the middle of next week onwards, the wettest weather is likely to shift further North. But they have warned the South is "not out of the woods", river levels remain high, and minor surface water and river flood risk is possible across the South and South West on Wednesday and Thursday.Records show more than 350 properties have flooded across England, primarily across the south west, including Somerset, so far this year and meteorologists have reported "little to no dry periods" across South and the South West.‌The start of 2026 has been exceptionally wet – with a strong and unusually southernly jet stream bringing frequent rain, strong winds and wintry hazards. The South West of England has been particularly battered, experiencing 216 millimetres of rainfall so far this year – 184% of the long-term average for this time of the year. And in Somerset, approximately 29 square miles of the Levels and Moors have been flooded.An Environment Agency source today told the Mirror groundwater flooding is more difficult to predict than other sources and can cause disruption lasting for weeks or even months. And they added that due to the amount of rainfall we have had recently and the ground conditions, there remains a higher than normal risk of flooding from heavy rain.‌The unusually wet weather is being blamed on a meteorological phenomenon called a "blocked pattern". It is occurring in what is known as the jet stream, the fast-moving river of air which constantly flows several miles above Earth's surface.The stream has been positioned a little further south than is typically expected for this time of year and cold plunges over in North America have also helped to strengthen the stream, which is then propelling areas of low pressure towards north-west Europe.Sarah Davies, Head of Energy and Environment at the Met Office said: “Wet weather has persisted for many areas over the past few weeks, with repeated Atlantic low pressure systems leaving ground conditions particularly saturated across southern parts of the UK.‌“While it is likely to remain changeable over the next few weeks, with further wet weather at times, the focus for the wettest conditions is expected to shift to western hills, where we would normally expect it at this time of year. However, given some areas elsewhere remain sensitive following recent rain, any further spells of rain as we head into early spring has a higher chance of causing some impacts than normal for this type of setup.”The Environment Agency's new national assessment of flood risk shows that climate change is increasing the risk of flooding and coastal erosion across the country. They have activated fixed and temporary pumps at key locations across the Somerset Levels and Moors and say their defences have helped protect over 24,500 properties.Article continues belowAs well as eight pumps at Northmoor, they are also operating temporary pumps helping to drain water and reduce flood risk at Saltmoor, Elson's Clyce and Westonzoyland. And they have said their pumping operations are expected to continue as unsettled water is forecasted to bring further rain to the area in the coming weeks.Julie Foley added: "While many thousands of properties have been protected, there is always more to be done to tackle flood risk in a changing climate. We will be working with government, local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards to deliver further flood protection and resilience as part of our multi-billion pound investment programme."