Airport set to reopen as rain band moves away from UK

An airport forced to close due to flash flooding is set to reopen as a band of rain that brought thunderstorms moves away from the UK.

Travel was disrupted by “torrential downpours”, which caused Exeter Airport to close and its remaining flights to be canceled on Sunday.

An airport spokesperson said: “Following flash flooding on Sunday afternoon, which caused the airport to close, our teams are working overnight on clean-up and we expect to be open tomorrow morning, Monday.

“Passengers are advised to check with their airline for the latest information regarding their flight, and to be patient as we do our best to return all airport operations to normal.”

Videos posted on social media showed a flooded main terminal.

An amber weather warning for thunderstorms in parts of Devon and Somerset was in place on Sunday afternoon, with a yellow warning in other areas of south-west England and south Wales.

A yellow alert issued for London, the south-east and east of England and the East Midlands remains in force until 6am on Monday.

Heavy rain brought “torrential downpours” to south-west England on Sunday, with localized flooding in Devon.

It also led to widespread road closures, bus and train cancellations and the closure of Paignton Zoo.

Nearly a month’s worth of rain fell on the Birds Hill rain gauge on the edge of Exmoor on Sunday.

Other places saw up to 60mm of rain fall, more than half the September average for the region of 92.45mm.

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The band of rain moved eastward throughout Sunday and is expected to dissipate by the early hours of Monday morning.

Conditions are expected to remain “windy at times” at the start of the week, but will likely be cooler.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said more storms were possible as the remnants of Hurricane Lee, which hit New England in the United States and eastern Canada, were expected to move to across the UK between Tuesday and Thursday.

It will no longer be a hurricane by the time it reaches British shores.

Mr Vautrey said: “This will be picked up by the jet stream. Showers in places could be heavy with a risk of further thunderstorms.

“It could be a pretty unsettled fall week ahead. »