The UK has witnessed the wettest February on record after three massive storms battered the country, it was reported.
In an announcement on Saturday, the Metoffice said the UK average of 202.1 mm fell in February, surpassing the samemonth in 1990 when 193.4 mm fell, reports the Metro newspaper.
The news comes as storm Jorge brings heavydownpours, gales of up to 70 mph and snow, wreaking havoc on areas already hitearlier this month. The Environment Agency has revealed that 127,000 propertieshave been protected by flood defences this winter.
Some 15 rivers in the Midlands, Yorkshireand Lancashire have also recorded their highest levels on record.
Thousands of homes were left without powerin Ireland on Saturday, while police in South Wales declared a temporary’critical incident’ earlier in the day. There were six yellow weather warningsfor rain, wind and snow in force across the country on Saturday morning,stretching from Cornwall to the north of Scotland and across to NorthernIreland.
The rain has since eased, but wind warningsremain in place until Sunday, with the potential of power cuts and transportdelays, as well as large waves in coastal areas, the Metro newspaper quoted theMet Office as saying.
The wind warnings were issued for acrossmuch of England and Wales and were extended until Sunday afternoon in NorthernIreland, southern Scotland and northern England.The Environment Agency has warned the countryneeds to brace itself for “more frequent periods of extreme weather likethis” due of climate change. Storm Jorge is the fifth storm to hit the UKsince December 6, 2019 and third in February.