Up to three months’ rain forecast to fall in Brighton and Hove over two days

Up to three months’ rain is forecast to fall in Brighton and Hove over the next two days, according to a severe weather warning from the Met Office.

The official forecaster has issued a severe weather warning for tomorrow (Tuesday 8 August) and the day after, with thundery downpours predicted.

Some parts of the wide area covered by the “yellow warning” may escape the heavy rain entirely tomorrow.

But, the Met Office said, the day “could bring 25mm in an hour to some spots with 40mm in three hours possible”.

And on Wednesday the forecast suggests that 20mm to 40mm will fall over a significant area, “with perhaps as much as 60mm to 80mm in places through the whole day”.

The total rainfall could total 120mm – or almost 5in. The monthly average for Brighton and Hove in August is 37mm – or almost an inch and a half.

From 3am until 9pm tomorrow the Met Office said: “An area of rain with possible thundery downpours is expected to develop along a zone from central southern England through the South and East Midlands to Lincolnshire and possibly affecting some northern and western parts of East Anglia during Tuesday morning.

“Heavy showers will then develop during Tuesday. Where these occur they are likely to be slow moving and perhaps thundery.

“Some areas may miss the showers entirely whilst others could see two to three hours of heavy rain.

“Where this occurs some disruption is possible such as localised flooding of roads.

“From late Tuesday morning showers are expected to develop across parts of the east and southeast of England.

“While many will miss the worst of the rain, the heaviest showers could bring 25mm in an hour to some spots with 40mm in three hours possible.”

The warning for Wednesday covers the entire 24 hours. It said: “Periods of heavy rain are likely to persist for much of Wednesday.

“Some transport routes may be affected by localised flooding leading to longer journey times.

“In addition localised flooding of homes and businesses is possible.

“The heaviest of the rain should gradually become confined to the extreme southeast of the UK later in the day.

“A slow-moving weather system affecting southeastern parts of Britain will give 20mm to 40mm of rain quite widely across the area, with perhaps as much as 60mm to 80mm in places through the whole day.

“In some places 20mm to 30mm could fall within two or three hours.

“At this stage there remains uncertainty in the exact location of the largest rainfall totals.”