*UPDATED: 06/12/24 - Amber warning for rain now issued on Saturday
Residents are advised that a series of Met Office weather warnings are in place this weekend during Storm Darragh – and this includes an Amber warning for wind throughout the day on Saturday, December 7.
Storm Darragh is predicted to bring unsettled weather from Thursday afternoon (December 5) until Sunday morning (December 8). As of Thursday afternoon, the Met Office has the following warnings in place:
- Thursday afternoon into Friday morning – a YELLOW weather warning for strong wind, with the possibility of heavy rain at this time.
- Friday afternoon into Saturday morning – separate YELLOW weather warnings for both strong wind and heavy rain.
- Saturday morning until Saturday evening – *an AMBER weather warning for both strong, potentially damaging winds, and for heavy rain.
- Saturday evening into Sunday morning – a YELLOW weather warning for strong winds, which ends during the early morning.
Flood alerts and river flooding are the responsibility of Natural Resources Wales, and responsibility for weather warnings rests with the Met Office. Residents are encouraged to follow the latest information provided by these organisations.
The current weather warnings are subject to change over the coming days – residents are advised to keep checking the Met Office weather warning page on its website, which is regularly kept up to date. Please click here.
To prepare for the AMBER weather warning for strong winds, residents are advised to secure loose structures beforehand. During the warning period, residents are advised to stay away from wooded areas, take care on high grounds and mountain roads, and avoid driving if unsure about the conditions.
If residents experience any issues during Storm Darragh, please contact the Council on 01443 425001 (daytime hours), or 01443 425011 (Out of Hours). Flooding reports can also be made on our website – details here.
Officers continue to monitor the changing weather warnings and briefing notes, along with our own forecasts that provide updates every hour. The team will remain on call throughout the weather warning period, with all available resources on standby if needed. Officers will also be monitoring live camera and telemetry data on water levels and rainfall throughout.
On the ground, in the days leading up to this weather event, the Council’s Highway Drainage Team has been checking priority and non-priority assets, including culverts. This proactive work is detecting and clearing blockages and debris, to reduce the risk of local flooding. If you see a blocked drain or culvert in the lead up, you can report it to us for the team to inspect and clear.
Ahead of the weather warning period, there are several actions that residents can take to be best prepared – and these are outlined in detail on our dedicated ‘Flood Preparedness and Awareness’ webpage. This includes important advice about deploying equipment to protect homes, preparing a flood plan, signing up for weather warning updates, and how to report a flood.
Our ‘Your Neighbours Need You’ campaign also contains key advice about reporting blockages to drains and gulleys, while outlining the small actions residents can take – for example, removing easily-accessible leaves or litter from the surface of grills or drains, near their property or in their street.
The Council will provide important advice and information on its social media accounts throughout the weather warning period – available via ‘RCTCouncil’ on X, and ‘Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’ on Facebook.
Posted on 06/12/2024