Weather warnings across UK with heavy rain forecast

 Chesil Beach in Dorset, which has been hit by torrential rain. Photograph: Stuart Fretwell/Rex

Parts of Britain could receive up to two inches of rain on Saturday, less than a fortnight after parts of the Midlands and north of England were affected by floods.

Yellow weather warnings are in force across the country after showers in the south-west overnight, which will move north towards Scotland throughout the day.

In the east Midlands and north-east, the Met Office is warning that flooding is likely until midnight as local communities continue the clean-up from the deluge earlier this month.

Nine flood warnings are in place throughout England, predominantly in the south-west and north-east, alongside 85 less severe flood alerts. However, Wales, central and south-eastern England will escape the worst of the torrential rain.

The wet weather is expected to subside for most of the UK on Sunday but two yellow weather warnings are in place for the east and north of Scotland until 9am tomorrow.

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Greg Dewhurst, a Met Office forecaster, said: “It’s a pretty unsettled start to the weekend, and a very cloudy day today, with heavy rain pushing its way north throughout the day.

“Some places could see 40mm to 50 mm of rain. There’s quite a bit of rainfall to come in the next 24 hours. On Sunday the rain will ease away. It’s looking like a much brighter day for many.”

The Met Office added that it would be a cloudy day with temperatures close to the seasonal average of around seven degrees celsius but it would feel chilly owing to the rain and a brisk breeze in the north-east.

The Environment Agency has advised people in areas at risk of flooding to turn off the gas, water and electricity in their property, move possessions upstairs and ensure that residents, pets and any vehicles are moved to safety.

In Devon and Cornwall, firefighters warned drivers to stay away from flooded roads after a number of calls overnight to stranded cars.

The army was called in earlier this month to assist stricken communities after towns and villages around Doncaster and Sheffield and parts of the Midlands were left devastated by heavy downpours. Doncaster council said 970 homes and businesses in the town were affected by the rain between 7 and 15 November.

Met Office data up to 17 November show that Nottinghamshire has had 189% of its monthly average rainfall already, the highest proportion of any UK county.