Heatwave to get hotter and possible flash flooding

Britain's hottest week could become a wash-out with parts of the country put on flood alert. The Environment Agency warned south Wales and southwest England are set to be hit by flash floods. Weather forecaster Tony Conran said: "There remains a possibility for the hottest day of the year but for other parts there could be floods. "There's an area of very heavy rain moving in towards the hills of Bodmin and Exmoor. Anywhere in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset there could be a hell of a lot of rain." An Environment Agency spokesman said: "The Environment Agency and Met Office are warning homeowners, businesses and drivers in south west England and South Wales that heavy, thundery rain could lead to flash flooding, particularly from surface water drains and small watercourses." Forecasters had previously raised the heatwave warning alert level from two to three. The current weather spell is the hottest since July 2006, with Wednesday the hottest day of the year so far at 31.8C (89.2F). The heatwave plan alert is in four stages, with green level one signalling "summer preparedness and long-term planning". Level two is amber and signals "alert and readiness", while three is red for "heatwave action". Level four is classed as "red emergency".

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ITN | July 2, 2009

Tags:. .surface. .heavy. .conran. .exmoor. .possibility