Storm Babet will hit the north of the UK in the coming days. The red code applies in the north of the country. The last time the UK issued a code red was in February 2020 during Storm Dennis.
According to Jeroen Elferink of Weerplaza, the rain that will fall in the United Kingdom in the coming days will be intense, but not extreme. Weerplaza predicts about 130 millimeters of rain in eastern Scotland. This is slightly less than the 168 millimeters of rain that normally falls there during the entire month of October.
“It’s surprising that the storm lasts a long time,” says Elferink. Due to a high pressure area over Scandinavia, the storm cannot continue. “The storm is hitting kind of a blank wall.”
The large amount of water can cause a lot of discomfort. The area in question is mountainous and the water always wants to reach the lowest point. As a result, water rises in valleys and can ultimately cause flooding.
The British government warns that some areas of northern Scotland could lose access to electricity and water for several days.
The last time there was a code red in the UK was Storm Dennis, which hit the country in February 2020. Dennis was one of the strongest storms ever recorded. The wind was blowing very strong and it was raining heavily. Five people died as a result of the storm.
Floods in the United Kingdom due to Storm Dennis
The Netherlands is on track for the wettest October in its history
There will also be heavy rain in the Netherlands on Friday and Saturday, but not due to storm Babet. Between 60 and 70 millimeters of rain are currently forecast for the central Netherlands.
In October, 100 millimeters of rain have already fallen. This puts us on track for a record for the wettest October ever measured. “We’re not there yet, but we’re likely to hit the record,” says Elferink.
The record for the wettest October in history dates back to 1932, when 193 millimeters of rain fell in De Bilt.
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