Warnings have been issued for another winter storm as Storm Chandra is set to hit Devon later today (Monday 26 January).
With another 24 hours of heavy rain and strong winds forecast to start later this afternoon, people are being urged to continue to take extra care and not put themselves or others at risk during extreme weather.
The Met Office has named Storm Chandra, issuing an Amber Weather Warning for rain for the southern half of Devon from 5pm this afternoon through to 9am tomorrow morning. There is a Yellow Warning for the rest of the county until midday tomorrow. Around 20-50mm of rainfall is expected widely, with up to 80mm on high ground, particularly on Dartmoor.
A Yellow Weather Warning for wind in the north and west of the county has also been issued for tomorrow, from 5am to 4pm. Wind gusts of 50-60mph are due, and potentially up to 70mph on exposed coasts.
With land and fields saturated and rivers already at high levels, further rain is expected to make watercourses react quickly. This is likely to lead to surface water and flooding.
Following the damage caused by Storm Ingrid over the weekend, recovery efforts are still ongoing in some parts of the county. Roads remain closed in Slapton and Exmouth.
Councillor Dan Thomas, Cabinet Member for Highways, said:
“There’s seemingly no let up from storms this winter. Straight off the back of Storm Ingrid, the arrival of yet more rain and wind is the last thing anyone needs. The continuing extreme weather is causing damage and disruption and there’s no doubt it’s impacting our road network.
“Emergency services are also working hard during these weather events and, unfortunately, there have been issues with people ignoring road closures. Where a road is closed, it’s for safety reasons. We would urge everyone to please be cautious. Do not attempt to drive through floodwater or try to access closed roads, particularly in coastal areas. Not only could you be putting your own safety at risk, but you could also be putting others at risk.”
Extra staff will be on duty at the Control Centre and additional teams are on hand to respond to incidents on the highway, including tree surgeons.
In the wake of Storm Ingrid, Devon County Council Leader Councillor Julian Brazil has called on the Government to provide the extra investment needed for infrastructure which will protect communities from flooding and storms.
Devon County Council is reminding people of the following advice:
- Be alert to fallen trees and branches, particularly on minor roads where they may not have been reported;
- Never drive through floodwater or swollen flowing water, you don’t know how deep it is. Find an alternative route;
- Allow additional time for your journey. Reduce your speed and leave more space between you and the vehicle in front;
- Drive with care and according to the conditions;
- Listen to local radio for updates on current weather conditions.
More information and advice is available on our winter travel webpages or for updates follow @DevonAlert on X (Twitter) and Facebook.
For information on Flood Warnings and Flood Alerts visit https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/location/devon