Following a New Year’s Day deluge, five flood warnings or alerts remain in place across Lancashire today (January 2) – with people in the affected areas being urged to ‘act now’.
It comes after flooding forcing homes to be evacuated, roads to be closed and events to be cancelled. Downpours which began on New Year’s Eve left huge swathes of the region under water with 25 weather warnings in force.
A yellow weather warning for ice remains in force until 10am today after temperatures plummeted overnight. The county is currently waking up to temperatures at around -1C or -2C.
Some roads remain closed in the region following the floods, including Haslingden Old Road in Oswaldtwistle, while others including the A56 northbound between Rising Bridge and Huncoat have been closed due to ‘extensive ice’.
The latest Met Office forecast for Thursday says: “A widely frosty start with some icy stretches in places. Otherwise a dry and cold day with plenty of crisp winter sunshine and a mostly light northerly breeze.
“Quickly turning very cold and frosty after dark. Maximum temperature 3C.”
It adds: “A dry and clear evening and turning widely frosty and very cold. Cloud cover increasing overnight with wintry showers arriving, giving an enhanced ice risk by the morning. Turning windier. Minimum temperature -4C.”
The flood warnings and alerts still in place on January 2
The Environment Agency says one flood warning remains in force for the River Douglas at Parbold. River levels were expected to remain high throughout the evening on January 1.
A spokesperson said: “Flooding is forecast to affect locations near the River Douglas. Weather conditions are expected to improve from this evening, but it will take several hours for river levels to drop.
“We are monitoring rainfall and river levels and clearing debris from weed screens. Flood warning area: Low lying properties on the right bank of the Douglas, downstream of the Canal Bridge including Burnside, Bankside, Northdene, Southdene, Westdene, Broadmede and Greenfield.”
Elsewhere, there are flood alerts still in force for the Lower River Douglas, the Lower River Wyre and Upper River Wyre at Brock, and the Upper River Ribble at Hodder. People are being advised to ‘take care and avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water’ and also to ‘avoid using low lying footpaths and any bridges near local watercourse’.
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