Met Office Yellow weather alert for rain in New Forest and Christchurch

HEAVY rain is expected to last until tomorrow (Tuesday) morning in the New Forest and Christchurch, with a yellow alert issued by the Met Office.

The national weather agency warned of travel disruption on the roads and delays for buses and trains, with possible power cuts and flooding of homes and businesses.

A Met Office spokesperson said: "Periods of rain will become persistent and at times heavy across parts of southern England and south Wales lasting through Monday, before clearing early Tuesday.

"For the area across southern England, 25-50mm of rain will fall widely, but the highest rainfall totals are likely to be across the higher ground of Sussex and Dorset, where locally 50-80mm of rain may fall."

The alert is in place until 6am tomorrow.

The weather is expected to improve locally from tomorrow, with sunny spells on Wednesday. But the rain returns on Thursday, with showers mixed with sun lasting until Christmas Day, followed by a dry, cloudy Boxing Day.