Yellow weather warnings for rain and wind are in force every day until Thursday as a newly named storm approaches the UK.
Storm Ciaran is set to bring strong winds and heavy downpours to southern parts of England and Wales – with “unsettled” conditions forecast for much of the UK.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Chris Almond said: “Winds associated with Storm Ciaran are likely to gust to 80mph along the south coast of England, with a small risk of somewhere exposed seeing 90mph, and winds could even gust up to 50mph or 60mph further inland.”
He added: “This deep low-pressure system will also bring heavy rain to much of the UK, but the heaviest rain is expected in southern and western areas with 20 to 25mm quite widely across the region but up to 40 to 60mm potentially over higher ground.
“Heavy and persistent rain will fall onto already saturated ground bringing a risk of further impacts such as flooding in areas that are already struggling to clean up from the heavy rainfall we have seen over the last week or so.”
Sky weather producer Joanna Robinson said a deep area of low pressure is set to move in on Wednesday night – and weather warnings could be escalated over the coming days.
There is an increased risk of fallen trees because of saturated ground – with fresh flooding in areas already struggling to clean up after heavy rainfall.
Some communities could be cut off by flooded roads on Thursday, and the Met Office says fast flowing and deep floodwater could cause a danger to life.