Amber rain warnings issued for Storm Claudia across England and Wales

The Met Office issued Amber rain warnings for southern and central parts of England and Wales on 13 November 2025, with wider yellow warnings for rain and wind, ahead of heavy rain from Storm Claudia on Friday and into the early hours of Saturday¹. Storm Claudia was named by the Spanish Meteorological Service because of ongoing impacts in the Canary Islands¹.

Rain will spread gradually further north through the warning areas on Friday and into the early hours of Saturday morning¹. Within the Amber warning areas, some places could see in excess of 150mm accumulate during the event, with 60-80mm fairly widely, and some areas could see up to a month's worth of rain in 24 hours¹. Gusty winds in the northwest of England and northwest Wales are an additional hazard, with 60-70mph gusts possible in exposed places within the warning area¹. The warnings highlight likely travel disruption, the possibility of power cuts and flooding for some¹.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said much of the rain will fall on saturated ground, increasing the chances of flooding¹. Unlike many named storms, Claudia will not directly cross the UK; the system largely maintains its position to the west of the UK, though its associated fronts will weaken through Saturday¹.

Alun Attwood, Duty Tactical Manager Wales at Natural Resources Wales, said rivers are already swollen and the ground saturated, and that many flood alerts and warnings are expected as a result of Storm Claudia¹. He said Natural Resources Wales does not provide flood warnings for flooding from surface water, so it is important for everyone to know their flood risk¹. Ben Lukey, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said minor surface water and river flooding impacts were ongoing across the north of England on 13 November, with significant surface water flooding probable across parts of central England on Friday and significant river flooding impacts also possible on Friday and into Saturday¹.

Why it matters for households

The warnings cover southern and central England and Wales from Friday into early Saturday, with yellow warnings for rain and wind extending more widely¹. The Met Office says the warnings highlight likely travel disruption, the possibility of power cuts and flooding for some¹. Natural Resources Wales advises people to be vigilant and prepare for potential flooding now, to check whether they live in an area at risk on its website and to sign up for its free flood warning service¹. It advises people to think about preparing a flood kit with important documents and medication, moving their car to higher ground and moving treasured possessions upstairs or to a higher place, and to keep away from swollen riverbanks and not to drive or walk through flood waters¹. The Environment Agency urges people not to drive through flood water, saying it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float a car, and advises people to search "check my flood risk", get free flood warnings and keep up to date at @EnvAgency on X¹. The Met Office sets out a three-point plan: check if a property is at risk, prepare a flood plan and prepare an emergency flood kit¹. The Met Office weather warnings guide explains the difference between yellow, amber and red warnings, and households can read how to sign up for Met Office weather alerts.

What happens next

By the weekend the north of the UK will be under a colder air mass with overnight frosts, and conditions will generally be drier and brighter there¹. Further south the weekend will start largely cloudy and wet, still mild in the far south, with the rain gradually easing and clearing south so that the drier, colder conditions affect all parts by the start of next week¹. Into next week it will initially be noticeably colder everywhere, especially in the north and east, with a brisk northerly wind and the first snow of the season for some¹. The Met Office advises keeping up to date with the latest forecast for your area on its forecast pages, and its guidance on whether to delay a journey in bad weather is available on this site.