Met Office maps show where torrential downpours will hit Britain with 43 flood alerts after snowfall

THE Met Office has revealed where torrential downpours will hit Britain today - as 43 flood alerts are issued.

It comes after snow storms hit parts of the country yesterday - with a -6 Scandinavian chill in some areas.

The map shows a large blue patch of heavy rain coming in off the eastern coast of England this morning - stretching into the Midlands, northern England, and east Scotland.

By midday, rains should have eased north of Manchester.

But by 3pm, these will resume - and Brits in the west Midlands can also expect to see downpours.

A high likelihood of flooding has been identified by the Met Office in eight regions across Wiltshire, Hampshire and Yorkshire.

Residents in these areas have been warned that their homes may flood - and that "flooding of roads" is also "expected".

They have been advised to "prepare property resilience measures and ensure that pumps are working" - and told that they may "experience inundation of septic tanks and sewer systems".

Meanwhile, flooding is "possible" in 35 further areas across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Yorkshire.

Pictures taken yesterday revealed that some areas were already underwater, with cars battling their way along swamped roads.

Meteorologist Dan Stroud, from the Met Office, elaborated on today's forecast, going into tomorrow.

He said: "There's a lot of cloud in the forecast today. It's also feeling quite cold. In fact temperatures are a good few degrees where they should be for this time of year."

"Some of that cloud is thick enough to produce a few outbreaks of mostly light rain and drizzle down this eastern seaboard of the country.

"Although with those colder conditions, some of that is also falling as a bit of a wintery mix chiefly across the tops of Pennines and the North York moors.

"As we move into the evening, remaining cloudy for many of us. We're still seeing a fair few showers and outbreaks of rain packing in across this eastern fringe of the country.

"But elsewhere across the west, a few clearer skies developing. And as we see those clearer spells, overnight temperatures will actually dip away. Temperatures low enough for a touch of frost.

"Into tomorrow morning, we see some bands of thicker cloud and rain moving in across Devon and Cornwall."

During the day, Dan said we could still expect showers across the north and east of the country, with chilly temperatures.

The Met Office's five-day forecast cloud, patches and rain and a smattering of snow from Thursday through to Sunday.

Heavier rains are then expected to return on Friday - with a cold breeze.

Yesterday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued cold health alerts due to a spell of freezing weather.

Meteorologist Marco Petagna said: "In the places with the clearest skies we could get down to minus 5C, minus 6C again tonight.

"But elsewhere any frosts could be quite patchy, because we've got the wind and the cloud around it's stopping the temperatures getting too low.

"Most places away from the north west of the UK just about escaping the frost by the looks of things."

In a post on X, the Office was forced to dispel fears the Beast from the East could make a return.