The UK’s cold snap has subsided after weeks of freezing temperatures, ice and snow – but weather experts are warning of heavy rain to come.
Temperatures hit 13C (55F) in parts of the south of England and Wales on Monday morning, with highs of 14C (57F) expected in London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff later today.
That’s a significant increase on what was seen last week, with daytime temperatures struggling to get above freezing and night temperatures falling well below zero.
Braemar in Scotland endured -17.3C on Tuesday, while snow fell across London and parts of the south of England last week.
But the swing from freezing to almost spring-like temperatures comes with more meteorological mayhem.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain across southern parts of England and south Wales until 6am on Tuesday.
Image: The weather warnings for Monday and Tuesday. There are no warnings for the rest of the UK
It said there could be flooding for homes and businesses, as well as roads, causing travel disruption.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has also put in place three more flood warnings in place, for Alfriston and Horsebridge in East Sussex and Mock Bridge in West Sussex, overnight.
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A total of 13 flood warnings are now in place across England.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: “It’s also worth bearing in mind that, preceding this obviously it was so cold, so the grounds were a bit frozen, drains may have been frozen in places.
Image: Temperatures have recently struggled to get above freezing
“As a result their ability to cope with the rainfall may have been reduced, so that’s why we could see some greater impacts which is why the warning was issued.
“Monday night into Tuesday, for most it’s going to be a lot milder than it has been of late but we could still see a touch of frost particularly in parts of Scotland.
“And then Tuesday, I think it’s going to be a little bit colder again compared to Monday. So the really mild day, Monday, is a flash in the pan if you will.”
Water UK has advised people to make sure their pipes are well insulated.
With any frozen ponds and lakes now set to thaw rapidly, fire chiefs have also urged people not to set foot on the ice after several calls in the same week that four children died in an accident.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) retweeted a photo of people, including children, on a frozen pond in Wimbledon.
“Sadly more examples of people walking on frozen ponds in #London. In the strongest way possible please do not do this!” it posted.
“It may look sturdy enough to stand on, but it often isn’t. If you fall into icy water, the risk of hypothermia is high and can prove fatal,” the LFB added.
Mr Brown, the Scottish government’s lead minister for resilience, said the “exceptional weather conditions” had inflicted “complex damage to the power network which was very challenging to restore”.
A man accused of driving into crowds at Liverpool FC’s title parade faces 24 new charges.
More than 130 people, including children, were injured when Paul Doyle allegedly drove his Ford Galaxy vehicle into hordes of fans at the celebrations on 26 May.
The 53-year-old, of Croxteth, Liverpool, was originally charged with two counts of wounding with intent, two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, and one count of dangerous driving.
Six of the new alleged offences relate to babies, including one six-month-old and one seven-month-old, proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday.
The new indictment, which was not read out in court, now has 31 counts relating to 29 victims, aged between six months and 77 years old.
Doyle now faces 18 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of wounding with intent, one count of dangerous driving and one count of affray.
He appeared in court via video link from prison and was in tears.
Travellers are being warned about mosquito bites on holiday after a rise in chikungunya infections in people returning to the UK.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also said the first cases of the emerging oropouche virus had been recorded.
Chikungunya typically causes sudden fever and joint pain, which can be debilitating, and lasts from a few days to weeks.
The name comes from a word in a Tanzanian language meaning “that which bends up”, owing to the joint pain associated with it.
Most people recover but in some cases the symptoms can last several months or even years.
It’s spread by mosquito bites in tropical and subtropical regions, and most of the 73 cases reported in the UK so far this year were in London and linked to travel to Sri Lanka, India, and Mauritius.
Only 27 cases were reported in the same January to June period last year.
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Chikungunya can’t spread directly from person to person – so if someone becomes ill in the UK, they can’t pass the infection on, and the mosquitos responsible aren’t present here.
Dr Philip Veal, consultant in public health at the UKHSA, said it can be a “nasty disease” and the increase in cases was “worrying”.
“It is essential to take precautions against mosquito bites when travelling,” he said.
A man staying at a hotel that has been the focus of a series of protests has denied a charge of sexual assault and faces a trial next month.
Mohammed Sharwarq, a 32-year-old Syrian national, was arrested after police were called to the Bell Hotel on the Epping High Road in Essex yesterday, police said.
Sharwarq, who is alleged to have kissed a man on the neck, indicated a plea of not guilty to a charge of sexual assault at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court today.
He indicated guilty pleas to six further charges concerning four complainants – with two counts of common assault and four of assault by beating.
Sharwarq is alleged to have punched a man in the face, thrown an object at a man, slapped a third man in the face and attempted to punch a fourth.
Sky News understands the alleged offences took place inside the hotel between 25 July and 12 August.