UK weather: Britain on flood alert with rain set to lash today - as Met Office issues yellow warning and map shows how downpours will hammer swathes of the country

There are 268 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, and 86 warnings 

Much of Britain is experiencing flood alerts with a wet start to the day today.

Across the country, there are 268 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, and 86 warnings, meaning it is expected.

Flooding is likely across Yorkshire, the East Midlands, the East and the South West today – and likely will last until Tuesday.

Brits will likely experience travel disruption, from flooding on the roads and train tracks – and a Yellow Warning from The Met Office is in place for much of the east.

It comes after schoolchildren in Sheffield came to the rescue of a First Bus stuck in the snow to help push it free yesterday.

YORK: The River Ouse burst its banks, leading to houses in York flooding this morning

CAMBRIDGESHIRE: Earith saw fields flooded after the River Great Ouse burst its banks yesterday

There are 268 flood alerts and 86 warnings in place across the country today

Brits will likely experience travel disruption, from flooding on the roads and train tracks – and a Yellow Warning from The Met Office is in place for much of the east

YORK: Houses in Naburn Lock near York woke up to floods this morning

YORK: After the River Ouse broke its banks, roads and pavements were almost submerged this morning amid warnings for more bad weather to come

A Yellow Weather warning for rain is in place from 7pm on Saturday until 12pm today

CAMBRIDGESHIRE: Cars drive through floodwater in Earith on Saturday

OXFORDSHIRE: A runner is stopped in her tracks as she meets the flood waters on a road

The Met Office predicts outbreaks of rain will affect some eastern parts of Scotland, and for a time the east of England today.

Otherwise early fog patches clearing to leave bright or sunny spells and some showers, which could turn wintry on high ground later.

But the West will see outbreaks of rain overnight and more  persistent rain across the Northern Isles.

On Monday, it is expected that many southern and eastern areas will be dry with sunny spells.

But there will be more rain elsewhere, especially in the northwest where some heavy, merging to give more persistent rain and hill snow later.

A Yellow Weather warning for rain is in place from 7pm on Saturday until 12pm today.

The forecaster warned drivers to be careful today are there are ‘dense areas’ of fog present – especially across the Midlands.

The Met Office measured 3.9in (10cm) of snow at Kirkwall in Orkney yesterday, and 3.5in (9cm) was recorded in Bingley, West Yorkshire.

A total of 1.7in (43.2mm) of rainfall was measured at Harbertonford in south Devon, almost half the average for the area in February.

Met Office operational meteorologist Dan Stroud said: ‘We’ve still got rain and many have snow making its way northwards, we have got further weather warnings in force.

WORCESTER: Worcester County Cricket Club flooded after the River Severn burst its banks

WORCESTER: Houses and businesses are likely to flood. Pictured are flooded houses along the River Severn

BERKSHIRE: River Thames at Old Windsor, where wood, tree trunks and plant debris from the river flooded the path yesterday

ESSEX: A man returned to his submerged Audi TT Friday afternoon amid flooding

‘Temperatures are recovering a little, across the far south it’s generally mild. We’ve got a second band of cloud and rain moving northwards, it makes for challenging driving conditions.

‘We’ve had the worst of it but it’s still not completely clear. Where we have falling snow we see there is a risk of a few icy patches on roads.

‘The focus is probably starting to shift more towards ice, people should still be cautious.’

School closures were reported yesterday in Wales, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cumbria.