Update from Environment Agency Flood Warning Duty Officer (From Swindon Advertiser)

Update from Environment Agency Flood Warning Duty Officer

7:04pm Monday 10th November 2008 in Covingham & Nythe News

Cllr Dale Heenan "The Thames Region, West Area Flood Warning Duty Officer this week has included local Councillors and Covingham Parish on their notification emails. This is a sign of the improving communications that failed so much in July last year."

Please see information below on the currentnflood watches in force, rainfall fallen throughout the weekend and rainfall forecast for the next 5 days, including a detailed two day breakdown of today (Monday) and tomorrows (Tuesday) forecast rainfall.

Last 24 hour rainfall detail:
* West area average over the last 24 hours: 8.4mm
* Thame Catchment average: 7.5mm (30mm total)
* Kennet and Pang Catchment average: 4.9mm (34.6mm total)
* Ray and Swinbourne Catchment average: 10.4mm (10.4mm total)
* Ock Catchment average: 12.2mm (6.1mm total)
* Churn Catchment average: 1.0mm (1.0mm total)
* Cherwell and Ray Oxon Catchment average: 12.7mm (38mm total)
* Evenlode Catchment average: 9.4mm (9.4mm total)
* Windrush Catchment average: 11.1mm (22.2mm total)
* Thames Catchment average: 8.7mm (60.7mm total)

Last 48 hour rainfall detail:
* West Area Average over last 48 hours: 8.8mm

Flood Watches in force:

The following catchments are on a flood watch. These flood watches will remain in place throughout today, in anticipation of the further rain forecast for today.

* Evenlode Catchment (specifically for the Evenlode Bridge area) - issued at 1900nn 9_11_08
* Windrush Catchment (specifically the River Dikler) - issued at 0700n 10_11_08
* Ray Oxon Catchment (specifically for the Langford Bridge area) - issued atn0730n 10_11_08
* Ray and Swinbourne Catchment (specifically for the Water Eaton area) - issued at 0745 10_11_08
* Thame Catchment (specifically for the Thame Bridge area) - issued at 0800 10_11_08

Information for Professional Partners -nRainfall expected on Monday 10th Nov and Tuesday 11th Nov 2008

Mondays weather: The daily weather forecast from the MET office currently suggests that we may see average rainfall amounts ofn9mm throughout today (Monday 10th Nov), with maximum forecast amounts ofn17mm.n Please see below for breakdown of the timings of the rain:

Monday 10th Nov
0100 - 0600 = 1mm to 2mm
0600 - 1200 = 7mm to 13mm
1200 - 1800 = 1mm to 4mm
1800n- 2400 = 0mm to 1mm

We have received a heavy rainfall warningfrom the Met office this morning, details below:

Period of cover: 9am this morning until 7pm tonight (plus or minus 2 hours)
Event averages: 8mm
Event maximums:16mm
Todays rainfall willnmove in a band of heavy rain, east across the Region (worst affected areas will be the South and East of Region).n For these averagenand maximum forecast rainfall amounts on top ofnthe weekendsnrainfall, it is likely that ancouple morenof our riversnmay respond by rising out of banks and into the floodplain, resultingnin a couple morenflood watchesnbeing triggered throughout today (possibly for the Cherwell and the Ock catchment), but is not causing us a great deal of concern at this stage.n At the moment we are not envisaging issuing any flood warnings.

Tuesdays weather:n The daily weather forecast from the MET office currently suggests that we may see average rainfall amounts ofn0mm throughout tomorrow (Tuesday 11th Nov), with maximum forecast amounts of 1mm. Please see below for breakdown of the timings of the rain:

Tuesday 11th Nov
0100 - 0600 = 0mm to 0mm
0600 - 1200 = 0mm to 1mm
1200 - 2400 = 0mm to 0mm
Please see below for the Rainfall forecast in West Area for the next 5 days:

The general weather situation:
Monday 10th Nov: average 9mm max 17mm
Tuesday 11th Nov: average 0mm - max 1mm
Wednesday 12th Nov: average 0mm - max 1mm
Thursday 13th Nov: average 1mm - max 3mm
Friday 14th Nov: average 0mm - max 1mm
The worst of this weeks rainfall is currently forecast for today.n After today, we can expect to seena big improvement in the forecast rainfall totals for the remainder of the week, with small amounts of rain forecast and some sunny, clearer intervals.n Some lighter showers may be seen during Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday though totals are expected to be much less than the expected rain forecast for today.

We shall keep you informed of any further useful information