Flooding: The train from Glasgow to Carlisle was stuck in floodwater last night as Britain was hit by rain and high winds
Planes
were buffeted from side to side at Leeds Bradford Airport, while dozens
of people had to be rescued from a supermarket when they were stranded
there by rising flood waters.
However,
the rain is set to be replaced by clear and crisp conditions later this
week - meaning there is little prospect of a white Christmas.
Hairy moment: This is when a plane tried to depart from Leeds Bradford Airport in strong winds today
Danger: The airport was hit by gusts which eventually forced the authorities to cancel many of the scheduled flights
Inundated: A home in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, after the River Irvine burst its banks and caused flooding
Rescue: The emergency services had to send boats to help people who were stranded at a Kilmarnock branch of Asda
Seasonal: A man dressed as Father
Christmas is caught up in heavy spray while walking along the sea wall
at Southsea in Hampshire
Bookmakers
are offering odds of 12/1 against snow on Christmas Day in London,
while the Met Office says the most that can be expected is 'sleety snow
on higher ground', which is unlikely to settle.
Weather
warnings were issued this morning ahead of showers which were forecast
to dump three inches of rain in some areas despite the generally
The
thermometer was today set to reach as much as 12C or 13C in some parts
of the country, according to the Met Office, with the South of England
and Midlands the warmest areas.
But
despite the unseasonably mild temperatures, Northern England and
Scotland will be hit by at least 1in (30mm) of rain tonight and
tomorrow. In the worst-affected areas, such as Cumbria, the Pennines and
Snowdonia, 3in (80mm) is expected to fall by tomorrow night.
Help: Early this morning rescuers helped transport people away from Kilmarnock town centre after the floods
Emergency: The roads in Kilmarnock were water-logged as police helped to direct traffic in the flood's aftermath
Underwater: This warehouse had water flooding in following the river bursting its banks
In trouble: A pet dog standing in about a foot of water in the centre of Kilmarnock
Flash
flooding hit Scotland last night, with dozens of people rescued from an
Asda supermarket after the River Irvine burst its banks due to heavy
rains.
In
Kilmarnock, 42 customers and staff were ferried to safety in rigid
inflatable boats after becoming stranded by floodwater at an Asda
supermarket shortly after 6.10am.
Firefighters
attended 11 flood-related incidents in Ayrshire as crews worked to
rescue people and clear water from homes after heavy overnight rain.
Apassenger
was treated for a minor head injury after a train came to a halt when
it hit floodwater near Mauchline in Ayrshire at around 12.20am.
Fire
and rescue crews led more than 30 people to safety after the train
became stranded in approximately five feet of water. Firefighters used
ladders to create a three-metre bridge from a carriage, which allowed
those on board to be led to safety.
The flooding has led to severe disruption to train services between Glasgow Central and Newcastle via Carlisle today.
At
Leeds Bradford Airport, nearly all scheduled flights were delayed or
cancelled because of strong winds which left planes visibly struggling
to take off and land without being blown around.
A
spokesman for the airport said that winds of up to 50 knots had meant
that many flights had to be diverted to other nearby airports.
'The
winds have affected the whole of Yorkshire,' he added. 'It is very
frustrating for passengers trying to fly over the Christmas period, but
we are hopeful of getting flights back underway later this afternoon.'
Forecast: Today and tomorrow will be rainy but clear conditions will arrive on Christmas Eve
Warning: Severe weather warnings are in place in northern England and the south of Scotland because of the rain and wind
Floods: The Environment Agency has warned of flooding across much of England, with the worst in the North-West
Fierce: This graphic shows how high winds are swirling around the UK and neighbouring parts of the north Atlantic
Severe
weather warnings are in place across much of the North, while the
Environment Agency has warned of the possibility of floods in Cumbria
and parts of Yorkshire, as well as along the Severn Estuary.
After
the rain clears tomorrow, it will be replaced by clear but much colder
conditions, with the sun shining but temperatures as low as -2C.
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, temperatures will climb no higher than 7C in most places.
'We will have colder and crisper weather for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as well,' said the Met Office's Helen Chivers.
'You
might see sleety snow on higher ground in the North of England and
Scotland, but it will be dry with a fair amount of sunshine.'
Ladbrokes
has lengthened the odds of a White Christmas in London to 12/1, with
odds of 8/1 in Birmingham, 6/1 in Manchester and 3/1 in Glasgow.
Sunrise: The dawn over Mudeford harbour in Dorset gave little indication of the prospect of wind and rain
Peaceful: Early morning over a field in sheep near Fettercairn in north-east Scotland
A
spokesman for the bookmaker said: 'At this stage there's more chance of
Santa Claus coming down the chimney than the UK waking up to a blanket
of white snow on Christmas Day.'
It has not snowed on Christmas Day in Britain since 2010, with extreme cold more often seen in January and February.
Forecasters are expecting frost overnight on Christmas Day, with freezing fog creating challenging conditions for drivers.
Wind
and rain will hit the country from Boxing Day, according to Leon Brown
of The Weather Channel UK, thanks to low pressure sweeping across
Britain, with more showers over the weekend.