Motorists are being warned to take care with downpours and “miserable conditions” forecast over the next two days.

The Met Office has issued weather alerts as a band of rain, which arrived in Cornwall on Wednesday afternoon, travels across the country before passing over Scotland’s east coast on Friday.

Conditions may be “atrocious” for much of the UK, while the Scottish Highlands could see some snow, the forecaster said as it put out a yellow warning for rain.

The alert will come into force at 3pm today and last until 6pm on Friday. Much of the east coast of Scotland has been warned to expect heavy rain, with the alert stretching from the English border up past Aberdeen with risks of flooding and transport disruptions.

A yellow weather warning was also issued for fog across parts of Northern Ireland from 4.40am to 10am on Thursday.

The bad weather has already caused disruption down south. In West Sussex, the A27 was closed in both directions between Emsworth and Chichester following heavy rain – which left up to 20 cars stuck in flood water, according to West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.

The service posted on Twitter: “Police on the scene and the road closed in both directions. We are attending with specialist equipment to help bring people to safety. AVOID THE AREA and only travel if necessary.”

Some rail lines were impacted on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, with disruption between Tonbridge and Hasting caused by flooding in a tunnel at Wadhurst in East Sussex.

National Rail said it had rectified a fault in the tunnel involving a blown fuse and a melted piece of signalling equipment, with disruption on the line until at least 6am.

 

(PA Graphics)(PA Graphics)

Met Office spokesperson Craig Snell said: “The warning areas are where we are most concerned about the risk of flooding but it doesn’t mean that the areas outside them are not going to see some pretty atrocious conditions.”

Mr Snell said a warning is in place for the southeast because “it has been quite wet there since the beginning of November with many places already seeing more than their month’s share of rain”.

The midlands and the north of England will have a “pretty miserable day” on Thursday after the rain sweeps in overnight, Mr Snell said.

“The rain will be accompanied by a brisk wind so it’s not going to feel good.”

But he added Scotland could see “two days of persistent rain” and this may result in snow falling in the highlands – although this is not unusual for November.

“If you want to take a walk in the hills in Scotland tomorrow you may come across snow but for the lower levels it is just going to be rain,” he said.

RAC breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis warned motorists to “exercise great care” during the wet weather.

“The chances of being involved in a collision rise dramatically in wet weather, and even more so if there’s snow, so it’s vital drivers slow down, leave plenty of space behind the vehicle in front and use their lights to make sure they’re easily seen by other road users,” he said.

“The risk of aquaplaning where a vehicle’s wheels lose contact with the road as they skim across standing water will be high, particularly for those who don’t slow down to appropriate speeds for the conditions.”