NI braced for 40mm of rain in one day this weekend

Forecasters are warning that up to 40mm of rain could fall in parts of Northern Ireland in a single day this weekend.
The Milltown Road in south Belfast earlier this month. Photo: Stephen Hamilton/PresseyeThe Milltown Road in south Belfast earlier this month. Photo: Stephen Hamilton/Presseye
The Milltown Road in south Belfast earlier this month. Photo: Stephen Hamilton/Presseye

The Met Office said the bands of heavy showers will begin sweeping across the region on Friday with the worst of the downpours expected on Saturday.

Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge has said up to 40mm of rain could hit parts of Northern Ireland and south-west England over 24 hours on Saturday, and the northern Pennines on Sunday.

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This comes after Northern Ireland and London have experienced a particularly wet August.

Mr Partridge said the City of London has had 117% of its usual August rainfall already, with 60mm of rain falling on the capital up to August 17 compared with 51mm usually seen over the entire month.

Northern Ireland has had 90mm of rain – 90% of its 97mm average for the month.

On Aug 6, a number of business premises in Belfast city centre suffered flood damage.

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In the Co Fermanagh village of Garrison, the River Roogagh burst its banks placing surrounding footpaths under two feet of water.

The rain is expected to continue into Sunday in some areas.

The forecaster added that some rainfall warnings for England were a possibility for Sunday.

“It does look as if the Midlands and eastern areas could have a pretty wet Sunday – but there’s also a lot of uncertainty in it.”