Grim outlook for Monday as coastal flooding threatens
Bad weather is expected on Monday
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sixsevenine, out Monday, March 24th 2008. |  |
Sunday, 09, Mar 2008 08:21
Large parts of the UK are at risk of severe weather on Monday, with much of mainland Britain's western coast facing a risk of coastal flooding.
Spring tides are coinciding with an unusually deep area of low pressure, making conditions well-suited to high water levels along western coastlines.
Officials are concerned for those living in properties in low-lying exposed coastal areas in south-west and north-west England, as well as Wales, and are warning them to monitor the situation carefully.
Meanwhile there are fears some could lose their lives by unnecessarily exposing themselves to the winter storm, billed as the worst of the season so far.
"We understand that people are fascinated by the sea but at times like this we do urge them not to go and watch the high waves - it is extremely dangerous and only takes a few seconds for someone to be knocked off their feet, into the water," David Rooke, head of flood risk management at the Environment Agency, said.
Wider disruption is threatened by winds of up to 80mph, with transport and power networks expected to be affected.
The Highways Agency said those driving high-sided vehicles, towing caravans or on two wheels should be especially careful across the south-west and close to the English Channel.
On Britain's seas winds of storm force ten and violent storm force 11 are predicted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which has warned sailors to be "wary" in the next 48 hours.
"There may be some extremely difficult weather conditions out at sea and on exposed coastlines," it warned in a statement.
The Met Office believes the "severe gales and potentially damaging gusts" will be at their worst on Monday, with all of the UK at risk apart from most of Scotland.
The low pressure centre has tracked in a more southerly direction than was anticipated on Friday, meaning England's southern coasts from East Anglia to Wales face a 60 per cent risk of disruption from midnight on Monday to 03:00 GMT on Tuesday.
Northern Ireland and the Midlands have a 40 per cent risk while northern England has a 20 per cent risk.
Martin Young, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: "It will be very windy for many parts of the UK in the early part of next week, but especially so across coasts in the south. Southerly winds are expected to strengthen during the early hours of Monday causing severe gales."