Britain is set to be battered by rain and flooding as the Met Office warned of a danger to life in some parts of the country over the next few days.
The forecaster warned of flooding and power cuts in some parts of the country as it issued seven weather warnings across Britain for the next week.
It said there was a chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing a danger to life in Wales, and warned of power cuts in other parts of the country.
Wind and snow warnings were issued across the south of England, Wales, north of England and Scotland all day on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, an ice warning was put in place for Scotland on Monday and Tuesday, with risks of difficult travelling conditions and injuries from slippery paths and roads.
Britain is set to be battered by heavy rain and flooding— (Met Office)
“There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life. There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings,” the forecaster said of Wales on Wednesday.
It comes after the Met Office officially declared a white Christmas with snow falling across parts of the UK after the record for the highest daily minimum temperature for Christmas Day was broken further south.
An ice warning was put in place for Scotland on Monday and Tuesday as the Met Office warned of potential injuries— (Met Office)
Snow, sleet and rain moved across parts of Scotland, with Tulloch Bridge and Aviemore recording flakes falling, the Met Office announced on X, formerly Twitter.
The forecasting body said this made Monday an “official white Christmas” – defined by them as a single snowflake falling on 25 December.
It comes after the Met Office officially declared a white Christmas for the UK, which it defines as one snowflake falling on 25 December— (PA Archive)
Temperatures at Exeter airport and in East Malling, Kent, stayed above 12.4C, beating the previous record of 11.5C measured at Waddon in Croydon in 1983.
In terms of maximum temperatures, the mercury has so far hit 13.2C at Exeter airport and in Merryfield in Somerset, which makes Monday the warmest 25 December since 2018, when meteorologists recorded a high of 13.3C.
Forecasters had thought this year could be the warmest Christmas Day since 2016, with predicted highs of 14C, and maximum temperatures could still change.
The Met Office announced the minimum temperature record on X on Monday morning, posting: “It has been a very mild 24 hours across parts of the UK.
“Provisionally this Christmas we have recorded the highest daily minimum temperature for Christmas Day on record, with both Exeter Airport and East Malling not falling below 12.4C.”
