UK weather: rain, gales and waves threaten more floods

High winds and tides will bring an increased risk of flooding in 35 areas of England, the Environment Agency has warned.

Areas at risk on Saturday and Sunday include coasts and tidal areas of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire as gales and big waves combine to cause possible overtopping of flood defences and sea walls, property flooding and travel disruption.

Parts of south east England and Gloucestershire, north west and the Yorkshire and Hull coast will also be affected by the wind, rain and high tides from Friday through to Sunday.

Read more: 'Potential for more flooding' in Somerset as army on standby

On the Somerset Levels flood teams continue to operate up to 62 pumps, 24-hours a day, to drain an estimated 1.5 million tonnes of water off an area spanning 65 square kilometres – the biggest pumping operation ever undertaken in the county.

Yet more wet weather to come

The latest poor weather conditions come at the end of a month which has already become the wettest January on record for parts of southern England.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who met with an angry response when he visited Somerset earlier this week, made the announcement about Army intervention after Prime Minister David Cameron pledged rapid action to deal with the crisis.

Looking further ahead into February, there are no signs of the weather settling down at all, with a powerful jet stream set to deliver more areas of low pressure.

This means that there is little chance of a prolonged dry spell that would be needed in order for river levels to come down and water to drain from the saturated ground.

Read Liam Dutton's weather blog: Wet and windy weather to continue into February