THE MET Office have issued a yellow weather warning for all of Somerset as heavy rain is predicted to cause disruption in the South West.

The warning comes into effect at 9pm on Thursday, October 12.

Originally, the Met Office stated the warning would end at 11:59pm on Friday October 13 - they have since updated the warning to state it will end at 8pm on Friday, before the downpour is forecast to subside on Saturday October 14.

Somerset residents have been advised to expect the following:

  • Spray and flooding on roads probably making journey times longer.
  • Flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely.
  • Bus and train services probably affected with journey times taking longer.

10-20mm of rain is to be expected, although the wettest spots could see up to between 30 and 50mm.

In more southern areas, thunderstorms could break out and bring 20-30mm of rainfall in a couple of hours.

The Met Office's five tips for staying safe in heavy rain

To stay safe in heavy rain, the Met Office have provided a list of five simple things to bare in mind before the warning comes into effect.

  1. Check if your property is at risk of flooding. If so, prepare a flood plan and an emergency flood kit.
  2. Stay safe by following flood advice in your area, parking your car outside of the flood zone, and store valuables up high.
  3. Make sure it's safe to drive. Use main roads, dipped headlights, and drive slower to give yourself more time to react and keep a bigger gap between other vehicles.
  4. Do not drive, walk, or swim through flood water.
  5. Help protect vulnerable people you know by supporting them with food and medical supplies in case of flooding.