UK weather: London flooding engulfs homes after a month’s rain falls in ONE HOUR – but 27C scorcher on the way

FLOODWATER has swamped London homes after a month’s rain fell in just ONE HOUR – but Brits will soon bask in a 27C scorcher.

Alerts have been issued after Monday night’s heavy rain raised river levels and saturated homes – with the London Fire Brigade receiving more than 1,000 calls related to flooding.

TikTok: radzz33A basement flat is left almost submerged after flooding in West London on Monday[/caption]

TikTok: radzz33Flash flooding struck overnight across the capital and the south[/caption]

PAA flooded road on the Lancaster West Estate, near Grenfell, West London[/caption]

RexPeople dash for shelter in Turnpike Lane North London[/caption]

The Environment Agency has seven flood alerts and one warning in place

Commuters faced a tricky start to the morning as they were met with numerous train cancellations.

This included Thameslink, which warned of disruption across its network as flooding had damaged part of the signalling system.

There have been reports of a pub being flooded and the local Penwortham Girls’ High School will be shut on Tuesday due to “significant flooding”, according to its statement.

The Environment Agency has issued seven flood alerts for Upper River Loddon; River Hamble; River Brent from Hendon to Brentford; Lower River Lee from Hoddesdon to Canning Town; the Lower Lee tributaries; Eastern Yar and Beverley Brook area in Merton, Sutton, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames and Wandsworth.

A month’s worth of rain poured down in places in just one hour late Monday – with severe flooding wreaking havoc in Raynes Park, South London, as cars became submerged in the water.

Drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles as the roads were engulfed while residents battled through deep floodwater in their homes.

Water even gushed down into the Underground, forcing a Circle Line train to reverse at Baker Street station.

Other unbelievable footage from the capital shows water surging down the steps at Chelsea’s Sloane Square Tube station.

Heavy flooding also hit Colville Terrace, Holland Road and Ladbroke Grove seeing emergency services evacuate flooded properties and homes with collapsed ceilings.

The City of Westminster Police also said road closures were in place while motorists were warned to avoid driving due to masses of floodwater.

Rick FindlerThis was one of the better ways to travel in the capital yesterday[/caption]

A 1,000 mile-wide ‘Spanish heat bulge’ is on the way for the weekend bringing a five-day heatwave

Above: a saturated Sloane Square Underground station in London

Motorists struggled to get around Westfield shopping centre

AlamyIn East Molesey, Surrey, Hurst Road was also under water[/caption]

There was chaos for commuters after lines were flooded

Belsize Tunnel on the line to Finsbury Park was also deluged

Matt Spencer/TwitterCars became submerged in heavy floodwater in Raynes Park, South London[/caption]

The SunA resident tries to salvage some items from his home in West London[/caption]

PAFlooded roads in Maida Vale, West London[/caption]

The SunSome residents were evacuated from their homes Colville Terrace, Holland Road and Ladbroke Grove[/caption]

One social media user joked, “Where were you in the Great London Flood of 2021?”

Other parts of the UK were not immune to the wet weather either, with heavy showers and thunderstorms hitting Northern Ireland and Western Scotland yesterday.

In Putney and Seaford, Sussex, heavy downpours caused chaos on the roads, with flooding in places.

Shocking footage of floodwater in Hampstead Heath shared on social media shows police and ambulance vehicles blocked by the “insane” rainfall.

“It’s like a bloody river,” one user wrote.

In Kew Gardens 48mm fell in just a few hours – its July average is normally 47mm.

And in Bournemouth, Brits were deluged with 35mm, compared to the city’s monthly average of 48mm for July.

Preston was dumped with 43mm, while Topcliffe had 54mm of rain, and Swanage was hit with 40mm.

Triangle NewsFlooding at a Jewish religious school for boys (Yeshiva) in Finchley, north London[/caption]

PAPeople wade through flooded roads in South London[/caption]

@999LondonA police car was forced to find an alternative route in Hampstead Heath[/caption]

@999LondonThe roads were ‘like a bloody river’ one bystander said[/caption]

BNPSA madcap mechanic took to his jet-ski to negotiate a flooded with five inches of rain in Dorset[/caption]

Others in South Hampstead shared videos of people wading through deep waters, saying they have “never seen anything like this”.

Meanwhile in Richmond Park on Monday afternoon, hardy cyclists, joggers and even rollerskaters were snapped battling on through as rain pelted down.

Homes and businesses were warmed they could become waterlogged, with a “small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life”.

Power cuts and loss of other services are also possible, and some communities could become completely cut off by flooded roads.

In Bournemouth, torrential rain brought havoc to the roads today, with cars marooned in deep water, bus routes thrown into chaos and a spate of crashes.

The normally picturesque gardens in the seaside town disappeared beneath floodwater and swamped the flowers and lawns.

Read our London flash floods blog for the very latest updates

Bus timetables were savaged by the weather with a number of main routes being closed by the police.

A weather expert in the Dorset town said that more than three and a half centimetres of rain had fallen in the area between 5.30am and 10am, making it the wettest summer days for 10 years.

Queen guitarist Brian May said a horrific sewage leak turned his mansion into a “horror” house during the flash floods in posh Kensington.

He shared a video showing how his photo albums, which were on the floor, were wrecked by the sewage leak.

May, 73, said: “The whole bottom floor had been inundated with a sewage overflow – which has covered our carpets, rugs and all kinds of precious (to us) things in a stinking sludge.

“It’s disgusting, and actually quite heartbreaking.”

InstagramMulti-millionaire rock legend Brian May has been trying to salvage treasured items[/caption]

A sewage leak turned Queen guitarist Brian May’s mansion into a ‘horror’ house

Brian May InstagramBrian May wasn’t dancing in the rain – he was too busy cleaning up after the flooding[/caption]

HERE COMES THE SUN

But from today, things will start to look up as high pressures moves in, just in time for a balmy weekend, says Met Office meteorologist Steven Keates.

The only exception to the dry sunny skies will be the North East coast where wind off the North Sea will make seasides towns from Newcastle up to Aberdeen more chilly and cloudy this week.

After a largely dry night tonight, Tuesday will see a cloudy start but some places will see quite a bit of sunshine and start to get warmer.

Expect 20C in London, with 22-23C across the West Country and cooler temperatures on the North Sea coast, with 18C-17C where still it’ll stay more glum.

The trend will stay looking forward to Wednesday.

The SunIn Portobello Road this worker dons makeshift wellies[/caption]

The SunA waterlogged garden in Lower Clarendon Walk[/caption]

Gavin Rodgers/ Pixel8000Rain caught commuters off guard – but sunnier days are ahead[/caption]

PAThe heavy rainfall blocked roads in South London[/caption]

Rick Findler / Story Picture AgencyTorrential rain in Putney on Monday[/caption]

LNPA runner drenched in Richmond Park on Monday[/caption]

Across south central and east there will be a misty start with a bit of cloud and the odd shower but for the afternoon, the sunny spells are back.

Thursday will see a bit more way in the cloud around but very little if any rain.

And dry and sunny spells are forecast for most of the country.

The warm sunshine will continue into Friday with just a few eastern and western areas with light winds.

For the weekend, after a wet few weeks we can finally get the barbecue out again as the high pressure is here to stay, as a 1,000 mile-wide “Spanish heat bulge” arrives.

For Saturday, the Central West will see highs of up to 27C in the afternoon – the hotspots in Bristol, Cardiff and Wales.

Even the cooler places, parts of Northern Ireland and central west Scotland will still have a strong 25C, forecast for Glasgow on Saturday.

But it can’t be all good news, as hayfever sufferers are warned of a “very high” pollen count.

And fair-skinned Brits are advised to keep their factor 50 close as UV rays are expected to be very high as well.

Dark skies over West Bay in Dorset

The SunA shopowner in Portobello Road, London, counts the costs after having to temporary close[/caption]