Weather warning for heavy rain and strong winds during Storm Bert

As of Friday afternoon, a Yellow warning is in place for Storm Bert - covering the period from 6am on Saturday, November 23, to 6am on Sunday, November 24.

It is based on a forecast for heavy and persistent rain and strong winds, which are likely to cause some travel disruption and flooding. It is forecasting 50-75mm of rain to fall widely in South Wales, with over 100mm potentially falling on higher ground. The whole of the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough area is included in the warning.

If residents experience any issues over the weekend during Storm Bert, including flooding, they should call the Council's Out of Hours emergency number on 01443 425011. Flooding reports can also be made on our website - find out more here .

The forecast is continually changing, and there is the potential for the warning to be upgraded further. Officers are continuing to monitor the warnings and briefing notes, along with our own forecasts that provide updates every hour.

Sign up to Weather Warnings and Flood Alerts from the Met Office and Natural Resources Wales.

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.

The team is also ensuring there is a supply of sandbags, which can be distributed if and when they are required.

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.

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 22/11/2024

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