Britain braces itself for more floods as Storm Jonas heads towards shores

Updated

Britons have been warned to prepare for downpours and flooding as the killer snowstorm that battered America heads for the UK.

Forecasters have predicted the weather system will hit Britain on Tuesday.

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning covering most of Wales, north-west England and west Scotland for rain and flooding.

A Met spokesman said: "An active cold front is expected to become slow-moving across Wales, north-west England and south and west Scotland through Tuesday, and into Wednesday, before clearing to the south on Wednesday afternoon.

"Warm air of tropical origins is expected to be entrained into the system, leading to abundant moisture and heavy rain.

"Many parts of the warning area could see 50-100 mm of rain, whilst the most exposed upland parts of north Wales, north-west England and south-west Scotland could see 150-200 mm.

"As such, there is the potential for river flooding, and also standing water on roads. Strong and gusty south-west winds will also develop."

The US East Coast has seen up to 2ft (60cm) of snow as the blizzard, known as Storm Jonas, sweeps across the country.

Inbound and outbound flights from major airports across America were cancelled, at least 45 of which were coming from or going to the UK.

A state of emergency was declared across a vast swathe of the eastern seaboard, with individual states in near-shutdown after thousands of flights were cancelled, schools and government offices closed and sports and entertainment events called off.

At least ten people have been killed in the US storm so far and it is thought thousands of homes lost power on Saturday.

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