“Avoid the Monmouth area completely if you can,” said South Wales Fire and Rescue’s Area Manager Matt Jones after a major incident was declared at 01:30 on Saturday as floodwater spread through the town centre.

Natural Resources Wales issued four severe flood warnings for Monmouth and the Wye catchment, signalling a significant risk to life. Monmouth sits just upstream of where the River Monnow meets the Wye, a junction now under pressure from swollen rivers after hours of heavy rain.

The Met Office said Storm Claudia could dump a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours. By early Saturday, 119.6mm had been recorded at a Gwent gauge, following 81.8mm on Friday alone, while gusts hit 68mph at Warcop Range in Cumbria. The storm was named by Spain’s AEMET.

Emergency crews carried out rescues, evacuations and welfare checks through the night. High street businesses in Monmouth were left underwater after the Monnow burst its banks. In England, the Environment Agency reported 49 flood warnings and 134 alerts.

For Northern readers, the disruption is already tangible. Overhead wire damage has halted all trains between Stockport and Macclesfield, affecting Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry and Northern services, with disruption expected until 18:00. Separate blockages hit the Manchester Airport line.

Monmouthshire County Council urged people not to travel unless absolutely necessary, listing multiple road closures around Monmouth and Abergavenny as standing water made driving hazardous. Schools and leisure sites closed early on safety grounds.

Once the rain clears, a sharp northerly sets in. UKHSA has issued cold‑weather alerts from Monday for parts of northern England and the Midlands, warning of pressure on health and care services. Expect freezing nights and some wintry showers.

Peter Fox MS called it the worst flooding he’s seen in Monmouth for around 40 years. Overnight totals approached 12cm across parts of south‑east Wales, with rivers still rising into Saturday afternoon.

For communities from the Borders to Cumbria, the message is familiar: saturated ground, swollen rivers and fragile infrastructure. The Met Office confirmed 68mph gusts at Warcop Range and warned of icy hazards as colder air spreads south.

There’s a policy test here too. The Environment Agency’s latest assessment warns England faces widespread drought next year without a genuinely wet winter. Flood today, drought tomorrow – a reminder that resilient, catchment‑wide investment can’t stop at the M62.

Practicalities remain immediate: keep routes clear for responders, avoid floodwater, and check live warnings from NRW and the Met Office before setting off. Trains across the North may be on revised timetables while engineers work to restore lines.