UK weather: Exact date heavy rain & flooding will end – as yellow warnings for downpours spark travel chaos today

HEAVY rain and flooding will finally come to an end this week.

After days of torrential downpours, yellow weather warnings and travel chaos, Brits are in for a much-needed dry spell on Wednesday.

But first, a band of "persistent" rain moving across the UK threatens to raise water levels, which could flow into homes and businesses.

Thirteen flood warnings and 42 alerts are in force across England today, with a further six in Wales.

Forecasters say the damp conditions could also spark severe disruption on Britain's roads, railways and runways.

The Met Office has issued two yellow rain warnings covering southwestern and southeastern England and the south of Wales until at least 6am on Tuesday.

More than five inches could fall in just a few hours, particularly over higher ground in Dartmoor.

Brits are urged to regularly check for updates to see how their area might be affected.

Thankfully, come Wednesday, the showers will dry up as temperatures climb.

There will, however, be strong winds and "severe gales" - and the big thaw has the potential to trigger flooding from burst pipes.

These are already causing headaches around the UK, with residents in Winnersh, Berkshire, waking to find floodwater at their doorsteps following a huge water mains burst on Sunday morning.

Several reports of burst pipes were also made to utilities firm Welsh Water because of a "rapid thaw", the reports.

And Shropshire fire department attended eight call-outs for flooding caused by burst pipes in just 24 hours.

Mild conditions are set to stick around until the end of the week - much-needed after a raft of freezing temperatures and snowfall.

The mercury is expected to jump by 15C as the cold snap is replaced with warmer air coming in from the Atlantic.

Daytime maximum temperatures across the UK on Monday will range from 11C to 14C - in stark contrast to the sub-zero temperatures recorded over the last week.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said both daytime and night-time temperatures are expected to increase.

"We're looking at across the UK highs of 11C to 14C, so around about 15C certainly higher than they've been," he said.

Mr Petagna added that it is not unheard of to get temperatures in the low teens at this time of year, but said the contrast of going from very cold to very mild in a day or two is quite unusual.