Met Office issues updated 18-hour weather warnings as flood alert sent - 53 impacted areas

The Met Office has issued an updated yellow weather warning for rain, with parts of the UK bracing for 80mm downpours and flooding.

It will be in place from 9am today (September 20) to 3am tomorrow (September 21). A band of heavy rain across Wales and northern and western England is expected to remain slow-moving before making erratic eastward progress, eventually clearing. About 20-30 mm of rain is likely to fall quite widely, with some locations in the warning area seeing 60-80 mm of rain. As the rain clears, strong northwesterly winds may develop by Sunday morning, most likely towards North Sea coasts. The weather warning will hit: Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Halton, Lancashire, Merseyside, Warrington, and Bridgend.

It will also hit: Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Wrexham, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and York.

There are 18 flood alerts and one flood warning in England, concentrated in the northwest of the country. Six flood alerts are also in northwest and southwest Wales.

If you're property is at risk of flooding, the Met Office suggests preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit. During this period, also be sure to amend travel plans, prepare for power cuts, and avoid floodwaters.

Today: Band of rain positioned southwest to northeast across the UK, heavy in the afternoon for parts of Wales and northern England. Sunny spells either side of this but with some showers, perhaps thundery in the far southeast for a time.

Tonight: Rain, heavy at first, gradually clearing southeastwards with strong winds possible for a time. Blustery showers and clear spells in the north. Patchy rural frost possible in Scotland.

Sunday: Cloud and light rain moving south across England and Wales. Showers follow from the north, heralding a cooler feel with temperatures falling below average. Marked wind chill in the northeast.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday: Turning drier for most areas next week with a good number of sunny spells. Repeated showers possible across southeast England. Feeling fairly cool with patchy overnight fog and frost.