Flood warnings as heavy rain hits England and Wales
The Met Office warned of potential disruption for drivers travelling to work on Monday morning Torrential rain and gale-force winds hit parts of England and Wales overnight after the Met Office issued a series of severe weather warnings.
Up to 4cm (1.5in) of rain fell in just an hour in some areas of Devon and Hampshire - more than half of the average monthly total.
No major flooding is reported but the rain has caused delays on some roads.
The heaviest rain has spread eastwards to Yorkshire, the East Midlands, West Midlands, Humberside and East Anglia.
The BBC Weather Centre said the situation was easing with London and south-east England now mainly clear.
But rain will be followed by gale-force winds and gusts reaching more than 60 miles per hour, especially in more exposed parts of Kent, the southern counties, Sussex and Lincolnshire.
The Highways Agency said flooding had closed the A249 near Sittingbourne in Kent, affecting the northbound section between the M2 and A250.
There is a flood warning in place for the the River Sheppey at Shepton Mallet and Croscombe in Somerset.
Slow-moving, heavy rain is also expected in north-west Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Lots of calls
A BBC Weather Centre spokeswoman said: "There is a risk of local flooding, and with the wind there is also the risk of disruption due to loose branches and debris on the roads."
She added that the heavy weather was more typical of autumn than summer.
Thorney Island, in Hampshire, and Plymouth, in Devon, both reported about 4cm (1.5in) of rain overnight.
But emergency services reported no major incidents, with Hampshire Fire Brigade saying it had taken a large number of calls, mostly from people concerned about water in their cellars.
London Fire Brigade also said it had been relatively busy and was "getting busier", but was not dealing with any significant problems so far.
