Just a few days after Storm Ciara, who saw three people die with its 97mph winds, another storm is headed for UK. In just 24 hours, a month's worth of rain is expected as Storm Dennis makes his way to the United Kingdom, this weekend.
The Meteorological (Met) Office has warned families to consider cancelling their half term travel plans due to the risk of fast flowing flash floods and deep waters which may affect large parts of the country and may cause serious risk to life.
One hundred and twenty to 140 millimeters of rain is expected in parts of south west, south east, north west and South Wales. Amber weather warnings have also been issued.
As Britain deals the second storm system forecast in a week, roads are likely to be shut and trains cancelled. Southeastern has also warned that speed restrictions may be put out on some routes this coming Saturday and Sunday due to the weather.
Apart from disrupted transportation, the flooding may also affect homes and business. Met Office has announced that some communities are likely to be cut off by flooded roads.
According to Bonnie Diamond of the Met Office, Storm Dennis will bring a little more rain than that of Ciara, but will come with a less winds. He further added that a lot of rain is expected on Saturday and Sunday that's why they have put out Amber warning.
Dennis will be bringing more rainfall over the weekend than the average rain for the whole month of February in the North West and South West of England, which averaged about 97mm and 98mm of rainfall, respectively.
Diamond also added that rainfall brought by Dennis may be hazardous given that its already wet from Storm Ciara's aftermath. Thus, with the storm coming half term travel trips to areas like the Yorkshire Dales, Dartmoor or other holiday hot spots may need to be cancelled to ensure safety.
Early morning on Thursday, Storm Dennis exploded into a "bomb cyclone". A "bomb cyclone" is a storm system undergoing bombogenesis or rapid strengthening, this usually happens in the ocean before the weather system makes a landfall.
Traditionally, windstorm season in the U.K., Ireland and the Netherlands run from September through April. Storm Dennis is already the fourth-named windstorm of this season.
Storm Dennis intensified rapidly during its course over the nothern Atlantic Ocean which allowed its central pressure to plummet 1.38 inches of mercury in just a 24 -hour period. A storm only needs to drop 0.71 of an inch of mercury before being considered as a "bomb cyclone." Dennis, on the other hand has dropped in pressure almost two times greater than this, making it an incredibly terrifying "bomb cyclone."
The Met office has also already released Yellow Weather warnings for rain across the United Kingdom as Storm Dennis makes his way bringing along heavy rainfall and possible life ending floods.
Updates about the flooding and the weather system is available on Met Office's website.
