21st December - Today's News: The Christmas Floods I

21st December and the world hasn't ended ..... yet!   Though may feel like it for some.   As mentioned a couple of days ago, we've seen some heavy rain across Britain and there's still a lot more to come.  It's likely to be the big story over the next few days into Christmas.

In Hampshire, Wallington evacuated in flood fear as heavy rain hits England.   Locally, Worcestershire flood defences up as heavy rain forecast with flood warnings issued along Severn and Avon - the River is continuing to rise though still a few feet below the level reached in November.  However that may be exceeded by Christmas Eve if, as predicted, we get another inch of rain on Saturday.

Another numptie needs rescuing as Barwick Ford flood in Hertfordshire leaves van driver standed

Heavy rain hits parts of Scotland overnight with reports of over 100mm in parts of Perthshire

And Britain on alert as rain forecast to lash the country for 24 hours from this evening

 

But however bad it is in Britain, there are always others much worse off: deadly floods strike rain-soaked Sri Lanka with at least 25 dead.

Whilst some may bemoan the lack of cold and snow in this country, I'm not sure we'd want this: down to -50c: Russians freeze to death as strongest-in-decades winter hits

But if we were to experience a  severe winter, how did the big freeze of 1962 compare with today?

Snowstorm leaves 4 dead as winter hits US and there's been record low temperatures across northern California; Midwest sees snow

New evidence suggests extinct elephant 'survived late' in north China. 

And finally, winter solstice celebrated at Stonehenge.   It's the first day of Christmas - merry Yule one and all!