Met Office issues yellow warnings for heavy rain and strong winds on Thursday
The Bishop’s Stortford area is braced for heavy rain and strong winds on Thursday (February 22) after the Met Office issued yellow weather warnings.
The warnings, issued on Wednesday morning, apply to the periods from 5am to 5pm for rain and 8am to 6pm for wind.
One victim of the forecast is the Gardens of Easton Lodge, near Dunmow, which has again been forced to cancel its snowdrop open day, as it did on Sunday (Feb 18) – but two more are planned for this coming Sunday (Feb 25) and next Thursday (Feb 29).
The gardens’ volunteers said on Facebook: “Sorry everyone, tomorrow’s open day is cancelled due to heavy rain and poor ground conditions. This is very upsetting for us not to be able to show off our gardens at one of the best times of the year, but hopefully the rain will stop soon and we can get open to visitors again.”
Half-term activities at Hatfield Forest and Audley End House and Gardens could also be affected. The latter attraction, the English Heritage-run stately home near Saffron Walden, was shut on the weekend of February 10-11 because of flooding.
Thorley Park amateur weatherman Andy White recorded 17mm – two-thirds of an inch – of rain from midnight on Saturday to midnight on Sunday. He said: “More flooding is likely tomorrow. Looks like we’re heading for the wettest February on record and possibly the warmest.”
On Sunday, the access road to Hatfield Forest at Bush End from the B1256 was flooded, forcing visitors to find an alternative route.
Thursday’s heavy rain on top of Wednesday’s rain could mean an early postponement for Bishop’s Stortford FC’s match on Saturday at home to Chorley in the Vanarama National League North.
The Blues were forced to postpone their FA Trophy fifth-round tie with Coalville Town three times in the space of 10 days and eventually switched the ‘home’ match 37 miles away to Aveley’s ground in South Ockendon, Essex, where they lost 3-0 to their lower-league Leicestershire opponents on Tuesday.
The Met Office says Thursday’s rain and winds may lead to flooding, damage and disruption in some places.
There could be power cuts and loss of other services, such as mobile phone coverage, to homes and businesses.
Where flooding occurs, there is a chance of delays or cancellations to trains and buses, and it could lead to difficult driving conditions and road and bridge closures. Some communities could be cut off by flooded roads.
On Sunday, signalling problems in a tunnel near Stansted Airport as a result of flooding following heavy overnight rain caused “major disruption” to Stansted Express services between London Liverpool Street and the airport. The line between London and Cambridge was also blocked at Audley End because of flooding.
There is a slight chance of damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, and of injuries and danger to life from flying debris.
