THE UK will be battered by five days of brutal storms that experts have warned could be life-threatening.

       The "heavy and persistent" downpours are expected from 3pm today with yellow and amber flood alerts for the North.

       Flooding is "expected" in the Lake District and south west Scotland with a risk of homes and businesses being flooded and damaged.

       Two flood warnings and 15 flood alerts are in place for England, while Scotland has one and four in place respectively.

       Six inches (160mm) will fall in parts today, and up to eight inches (200mm) is expected on Thursday and Friday.

       That amounts to as much as a month's worth of rain in under 24 hours.

       Read our flood tracker live blog below for the latest alerts...

       Milica Cosic 10 minutes ago

       Windermere ferry halted

       Eight flood warnings are in place across Cumbria as more than a foot of rain falls in some parts of county.

       The Windermere ferry has been unable to run today because the lake is too full after more than a foot of rain fell over parts of Cumbria in 24 hours.

       Operators of the Windermere ferry tweeted: “Due to excessive rainfall overnight the lake levels have risen to an extent whereby we cannot land safely and must suspend services till levels drop”.

       Milica Cosic 20 minutes ago

       ‘Life threatening flooding’

       The Met Office has warned of life-threatening flooding as it issued amber weather warnings for rain in parts of England and Scotland.

       Glasgow - as the city prepares for the COP26 climate summit - has been deluged by heavy rain, leaving cars stranded in roads.

       Meanwhile Cumbria is being lashed with "persistent and heavy rain", which is not likely to ease until tonight, the service said.

       John Hall 22 minutes ago

       BRUTAL WEATHER

       Met Office meteorologist Luke Miall said: "Autumn is very much with us across the UK through this week, turning a lot more unsettled over the next few days.

       "Through Wednesday morning the rain will turn more persistent for parts of Northern Ireland but especially southwest Scotland and Cumbria.

       "We have a weather warning in place and we could see a large amount of rain building up through the course of Wednesday and into Thursday with a risk of flooding and some pretty tricky travelling conditions.

       "Highs of 18C though, very very mild for this stage of the year.

       "This wet weather will gradually trickle a little further southwards into north Wales and perhaps the north west Midlands as we go into Thursday.

       "Quite strong winds as well, so we will continue to see some quite disruptive rainfall at times."

       John Hall 25 minutes ago

       SNOW COMING

       Snow remains a risk until next Thursday - when heavy rain and high winds move in once again.

       WX weather charts show a rise in the likelihood of snow across parts of Scotland on November 3.

       John Hall 28 minutes ago

       WIND AND RAIN

       Gale force winds will accompany the deluge causing half-term chaos for families across the UK - though temperatures will remain mild for the time of year.

       And the showers and high winds will continue into the weekend, with the wet weather coming to end on Sunday night.

       But while early next week may provide some respite, WX weather charts show a rise in the likelihood of snow across parts of Scotland on November 3.

       John Hall 31 minutes ago

       DEEP WATERS

       Public transport could be shut down in some areas while the Met Office also warns there is a chance "that some communities will become cut off" entirely by the water levels.

       Two flood warnings and 15 flood alerts are in place for England, while Scotland has one and four in place respectively.

       Six inches (160mm) will fall in parts today, and up to eight inches (200mm) is expected on Thursday and Friday.

       That amounts to as much as a month's worth of rain in under 24 hours.

       John Hall 34 minutes ago

       FLOODING 'EXPECTED'

       Flooding is "expected" in the Lake District and south west Scotland with a risk of homes and businesses being flooded and damaged.

       Disruption and travel chaos is expected across the region with the warnings in place from today until just before midnight on Friday.

       These stretch from south west Scotland and north west England to western Wales and warn of "fast flowing" and "deep" flood water in homes and businesses.

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