As we brace ourselves for the arrival of Storm Christoph, the river in York is already in flood.
The storm Christoph is set to bring widespread flooding, gales and snow to parts of the UK.
People are being urged to prepare. An amber weather warning for rain was issued by the Met Office for Tuesday to Thursday for central northern England, including Selby and Tadcaster.
A yellow rain warning applies to York.
There are two flood warnings affecting the city this morning, both updated around 4am.
Warning 1: The River Ouse at York – “Persistent and heavy rain is forecast for later today Tuesday and will continue through until early Thursday. We expect levels to rise significantly. Early forecasts indicate potential levels over 4m later this week. Please avoid using low lying footpaths near local watercourses and do not drive through flood water.”
Warning 2: River Ouse at Naburn Lock – “We expect levels to rise significantly. Please avoid using low lying footpaths near local watercourses and do not drive through flood water.”
Anything above 3m, and the water could inundate riverside properties.
There are also flood alerts for
The Foss Barrier has been deployed. Work on improvements to the barrier, including the fitting of a new gate, has been delayed so protection is maintained.
Yesterday we reported the North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service urging people not to drive into flood water.
And the York Rescue Boat is on standby:
