Portsmouth weather forecast: Met Office issues heavy rain warning in build-up to Christmas
The Met Office has warned of heavy rain and possible flooding in the days leading up to Christmas.
Forecasters are predicting downpours across southern England – including Portsmouth and Hampshire – during Wednesday and the early part of Thursday.
A yellow-level warning, meaning disruption is possible, is in place for 24 hours from 6am tomorrow.
In some areas of the UK there could be flooding and disruption to travel, including cancellation of bus, train and ferry services.
A Met Office spokesperson said: ‘The heaviest rain is likely to develop during Wednesday evening and continue overnight before clearing away to the southeast by Thursday morning.
‘Much of the area is likely to see 20-40 mm through this period. There is still some uncertainty in exactly where the heaviest rain will fall but there is the potential for some places to see as much as 50-70 mm of rain.
’The heavy rain will be accompanied by strong north to northeasterly winds during Wednesday evening and overnight.’
In Portsmouth the heaviest rain is likely to arrive on Wednesday morning, although it will remain wet throughout the day.
Latest Christmas Day forecast for Portsmouth
After a wet start to Thursday the rest of Christmas Eve should be relatively clear weather-wise, and that should continue onto Christmas Day.
There will be sunny spells early in the day but it will remain bitterly cold, and temperatures are unlikely to rise above 5C.
Despite the cold conditions, there is little sign of any snow giving us a white Christmas this year.