Parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
More than 20mm (0.8in) of rain deluged some regions in the space of 12 hours as already-saturated river catchments neared bursting point - and more downpours are forecast for today.
It came after a man and his dog drowned when their car attempted to cross a flooded ford in Hampshire and around 1,000 people were evacuated from a Northamptonshire caravan park yesterday.
The Environment Agency (EA) remains on "high alert" for flooding and said it is paying "particular focus" on the counties of Somerset, Dorset and Devon, which experienced some of the heaviest of the overnight rainfall.
The agency has put in place 40 flood warnings across England and Wales where flooding is expected and 152 flood alerts, where flooding is possible. The only region to not be affected by the warnings is the north west.
The EA said in a statement: "There is still a risk of flooding across many parts of England and Wales with particular focus on Somerset, Dorset and Devon.
"River flows are high after this weekend's rainfall and we are keeping a close watch on river levels as well as checking defences and clearing any potential blockages to reduce the risk of flooding."
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Meanwhile The Met Office has issued an amber warning of severe rain and storms in south west England until 3pm today.
Yellow warnings for heavy downpours are in place for the south and east of England, southern Wales, London and the Midlands.
A Met Office spokesman said: "Outbreaks of rain, heavy and possibly thundery, are likely to affect southern England and the southern half of Wales, during Tuesday.
"The public should be aware that, following recent heavy rainfall, further localised flooding is possible, with parts of Devon, Dorset and Somerset looking especially vulnerable. There will also be difficult driving conditions at times.
"As we move through daylight hours on Tuesday the risk of heavy rain will gradually reduce. In addition, strong north easterly winds are likely across the Midlands and parts of Wales."
The national forecaster said that 32mm (1.3in) of rain had fallen over Exmoor in the past 24 hours, while in the 12 hours leading up to 4am, more than 20mm (0.8in) had fallen in south Wales and 16.4mm (0.7in) had deluged Bournemouth Airport.
Met Office forecaster Dan Grey said: "The rain reached the Dorset coast at around 7pm last night and spread north and west throughout the night.
"It has been really heavy in the south west of England and there has also been quite a lot of thunder in central and eastern areas.
"By morning rush hour the heavy rain will have reached the West Midlands and east Wales and there is going to be some dangerous driving conditions."
Aisling Creevey, forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said there were lightning strikes across much of the south of England overnight.
In the space of an hour 6.44mm (0.25in) of rain fell in St Athan, South Wales overnight, while 5.8mm fell in the same time period in the Cotswolds town of Winchcombe, in Gloucestershire.
"Everywhere across southern England overnight there was at least 1mm to 2mm of rain every hour," she added.
Around 1,000 people were evacuated from Billing Aquadrome caravan holiday park in Northamptonshire yesterday as heavy rain was forecast for the region.
Guests and caravan owners were advised to leave the site in Great Billing, Northampton, by EA officials who issued a flood warning for the area.
Northamptonshire Police said most people had been able to stay with friends or family or had travelled home.
In Hampshire a man and a dog died when the car they were travelling in became completely submerged in 5ft of fast-flowing water as it drove across a flooded ford in Compton Wood.
His 54-year-old wife was able to escape from the car as it was swept downstream, but the man, from the Middlesex area, had to be recovered from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Elsewhere, Badminton horse trials were cancelled due to waterlogged and flooded ground.
The UK saw the wettest April since records, dating back a century to 1910, began, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.
The figures up to April 29 showed an average of 121.8 mm had fallen (4.8 inches) so far this month, almost double the long term average for April of 69.6mm (2.7 inches) and beating the previous record of 120.3mm (4.7 inches) set in 2000.
Over the weekend downpours and winds of up to 70mph in south-west England and Wales brought down trees, left thousands of homes without power and disrupted rail services, while low-lying fields and some roads were submerged.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said it had attended seven separate incidents across Devon and Somerset in the past two days in which vehicles had become stuck in floodwater.
The fire service has warned people driving to work this morning of the possibility of heavy, localised downpours and urged drivers not to risk their lives by driving through any flood water.
On Monday the Met Office has issued a “code yellow” severe weather warning, urging members of the public to be aware of conditions which have “the potential to cause danger to life or widespread disruption”.
Despite the heavy rain, swathes of England are still in a state of drought, with warnings that the downpours were not enough to counteract the effects of two unusually dry winters.
Has the weather wreaked havoc where you live? Email your pictures to ukpicturedesk@teamaol.com and we’ll credit you.
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Spring weather May 1st
A team from Gloucester Fire and Rescue service scout the flooded areas of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire after heavy overnight rainfall.
Spring weather May 1st
A team from Gloucester Fire and Rescue service scout the flooded areas of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire after heavy overnight rainfall.
Spring weather May 1st
A member of a team from Gloucester Fire and Rescue service looks for hidden obstructions before launching a boat scout the flooded areas of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire after heavy overnight rainfall.
Spring weather May 1st
A team from Gloucester Fire and Rescue service scout the flooded areas of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire after heavy overnight rainfall.
Spring weather May 1st
Swans swim past signs for riverside walks along the River Severn in Worcester, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Water Levels Rise As Tewkesbury Braces Itself For Flooding
TEWKESBURY, ENGLAND - MAY 01: A car drives through flood water in Tewkesbury on May 1, 2012 in Tewkesbury, England. After the wettest April in 100 years, thousands of homes, particularly in the south west of England, faced a renewed risk of flooding after heavy rain fell overnight and many rivers remained on flood alerts. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Water Levels Rise As Tewkesbury Braces Itself For Flooding
TEWKESBURY, ENGLAND - MAY 01: Cars drive though spray on the M5 motorway on May 1, 2012 near Tewkesbury, England. After the wettest April in 100 years, thousands of homes, particularly in the south west of England, faced a renewed risk of flooding after heavy rain fell overnight and many rivers remained on flood alerts. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Water Levels Rise As Tewkesbury Braces Itself For Flooding
TEWKESBURY, ENGLAND - MAY 01: Flood waters gather on land close to Tewkesbury Abbey on May 1, 2012 in Tewkesbury, England. After the wettest April in 100 years, thousands of homes, particularly in the south west of England, faced a renewed risk of flooding after heavy rain fell overnight and many rivers remained on flood alerts. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Water Levels Rise As Tewkesbury Braces Itself For Flooding
TEWKESBURY, ENGLAND - MAY 01: Flood water overflows from the rive in Tewkesbury on May 1, 2012 in Tewkesbury, England. After the wettest April in 100 years, thousands of homes, particularly in the south west of England, faced a renewed risk of flooding after heavy rain fell overnight and many rivers remained on flood alerts. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Water Levels Rise As Tewkesbury Braces Itself For Flooding
TEWKESBURY, ENGLAND - MAY 01: Flood water overflows from the river in Tewkesbury on May 1, 2012 in Tewkesbury, England. After the wettest April in 100 years, thousands of homes, particularly in the south west of England, faced a renewed risk of flooding after heavy rain fell overnight and many rivers remained on flood alerts. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Spring weather May 1st
A man hole cover is burst open by excess water in Witney, Oxfordshire, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
Tourists look for a way around the flooding in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
A man hole cover is burst open by excess water in Witney, Oxfordshire, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
Flooding in a playground near Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
Flooding in a playground near Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
Flooding near Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
People discuss the flooding in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
A general view of standing water in fields near Glastonbury, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
A general view of the River Brue, which is two foot above the level of the road and fields either side, as it winds it's way along the Somerset Levels and towards Glastonbury, where St Michael's Tower sits on Glastonbury Tor, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather May 1st
Swans swim past signs for riverside walks along the River Severn in Worcester, as parts of England and Wales are facing fresh flood fears after heavy rain lashed southern Britain overnight following the wettest April since records began.
Spring weather April 30th
Floodwaters rise around Tewkesbury Abbey, as much of England and Wales was braced for flooding today as further heavy rain continued to wreak havoc across the country.
Spring weather April 30th
Floodwaters rise around Mill Street, Tewkesbury, as much of England and Wales was braced for flooding today as further heavy rain continued to wreak havoc across the country.
Landrovers make a soggy trip in Essex
Collapsed scaffolding on a road in London
Life Aquatic in Essex
A tree lays waste to a car in Dulwich, south London
The Knavesmire and York racecourse is not fit for use
Walkies! A man and his dog paddle through a flooded village green in York
A lorry drives through Hodge Beck river in North Yorkshire
Soccer - Rangers Administration - Ibrox
Rangers manager Ally McCoist, arrives in heavy rain, to Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow as Rangers administrators warn attempts to rebuild the crisis club have been seriously undermined.
Rain continues
A man holds an umbrella in heavy rain in Dublin city centre.
Horse Racing - 2012 Punchestown Festival - thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup Day - Punchestown Racecourse
Punters arrive in heavy rain for day two of the Punchestown Festival at Punchestown Racecourse, Naas.
Heavy rain across the UK
A van drives through a puddle near Epsom, Surrey, as wet weather continues across the UK.
Spring weather Apr 25
Shoppers use their umbrellas to shield from rain in Strafford upon Avon city centre.
Spring weather Apr 25
Heavy rain on the M20 in Ashford, Kent.
Spring weather Apr 25
Shoppers use their umbrellas to shield from rain in Strafford upon Avon city centre.
Spring weather Apr 25
Drops of rain fall in Ashford, Kent.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 1st wedding anniversary
File photo dated 04/07/11 ofof the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sheltering from the rain under umbrellas at Dalvay by the Sea, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Spring weather April 30th
Floodwaters rise around Mill Street, Tewkesbury, as much of England and Wales was braced for flooding today as further heavy rain continued to wreak havoc across the country.
Spring weather April 30th
Floodwaters rise around Mill Street, Tewkesbury, as much of England and Wales was braced for flooding today as further heavy rain continued to wreak havoc across the country.
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PA/The Huffington Post UK | Posted: 1/05/2012 07:55 Updated: 1/05/2012 17:11