Risk of heavy rain for southern and eastern parts of Britain associated with Storm Benjamin What to expect: Spray and flooding on roads leading to difficult driving conditions and increased chance of accidents, making journey times longer Public transport affected in places with some journey times taking longer Flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely Further details: Storm Benjamin is expected to cross the south of the UK later Wednesday and early Thursday; confidence in its track has improved compared to yesterday but still remains lower than usual for this type of weather system which leads to continued uncertainty over the corridor of highest rainfall totals. That said, an extensive and in places heavy swathe of rain will move into southwestern Britain later Wednesday and spread quickly northeast. As the main rainband clears eastward during Thursday, it will be followed by frequent heavy showers in some western areas. Totals are expected to reach 20-30 mm quite widely, with some places seeing 30-50 mm. There is a chance a few places could exceed this, most likely over North Devon and Cornwall. In association with the rain, conditions are expected to turn windy with gales, initially along south-eastern coasts, but more widely across southern Britain during Thursday daytime. What Should I Do? Check if your property could be at risk of flooding. If so, consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit. Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary. People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items. Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.