A flood warning has been issued for parts of the Thames riverside in west London as the capital gets battered by heavy rain amid Storm Debi
The Environment Agency said flooding was possible on low-lying roads and footpaths near the Thames in west and south-west London because of high river levels.
The tide could peak at 4.73 mAOD (metres above average sea level) at Richmond on Tuesday afternoon, and 4.75 mAOD at 3am on Wednesday.
Affected areas include Putney Embankment, Chiswick Mall and Strand on the Green, the Thames Bank at Mortlake (SW14).
The Embankment at Twickenham, and the Towpath below Teddington Lock is also affected. However, flooding of properties is not affected.
It comes as the capital was under a thunderstorm warning until 3pm Tuesday, with warnings of heavy rain.
Long queues heading out of London on the A41 northbound because of flooding just before the A406 Brent Cross Flyover.
— BBC London (@BBCLondonNews) November 14, 2023
#BBCLondonTravel pic.twitter.com/PscrBhoMrf
Some disruption has already been witnessed on London’s roads, with long queues heading out of the capital on the A41 northbound because of flooding just before the Brent Cross Flyover.
The Met Office said 15-20mm of rain could hit the affected area, which includes the capital, the south east and the south west of England
Some buildings could be damaged by lightning strikes or strong, gusty winds – while short power cuts are also considered “likely”.
Drivers and those thinking of taking a bus should expect their journeys to be longer due to spray, standing water and hail.
Trains and planes may also be delayed due to adverse weather conditions.
Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said Storm Debi is expected to clear away from the UK throughout, but “wet and windy weather” should linger.
He said on Monday: “Tomorrow morning you will see heavy and potentially thundery showers moving eastwards across the south of England.
“We could see 15-20mm, almost an inch, of rain across some southern counties of England combined with fairly gusty winds as well.
“A week’s worth of rain could fall in an hour or two in that warning area and you could see wind speeds of 40-50mph.
“If you are in that warning area, it is going to be quite tricky (to travel).”
Remarkable video captured late last month showed the River Thames lapping at the windowpanes of a west London pub during a high spring tide.
Two inches of river water seeped into the dining area of The Bull's Head, in Strand-on-the-Green, Chiswick, on October 29.
But Barbara Smith, who has been landlady at the 18th century pub for six years, described seeing the Thames rising above the pub's windows as "a bit of fun" and assured it was no great cause for concern."We put a slate floor in [the flood-prone] room, so we just mop it up and it's all just a bit of fun," she told The Standard.
