Warm weather could mean some flooding over the next few days.
The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority says a brief warm spell won’t be enough to flood the Thames, but forecast calling for up to 20 mm of rain, smaller watercourses are a different story.
There are still significant amounts of snow and ice and there is the potential for blockages that will cause further drainage problems and flooding. In urban areas, blocked catch basins or other drainage inlets could lead to standing water and localized flooding.
As for the Thames, there is still up to 20 cm of ice in some places on the river and ice conditions should be expected to degrade and may become unsafe.
People should take extra caution around the river, ditches, and streams. The combination of slippery banks, unstable ice and fast moving cold water can be dangerous. Standing water can also present its own unseen hazards. Children and pets should be kept away from the water.
