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More showers and "blistering winds" are set to hit Britain today, adding to the severe flood problems in the lead up to Christmas.

There are 80 flood warnings in place between Cornwall and Middlesbrough, as well as 162 flood alerts, after a deluge of rainfall washed out the south of England.

And while the Met Office has not issued any severe weather warnings today, forecaster Marco Petegna said there is "potential for more flooding later in the week" with further heavy rain and strong wind expected from Boxing Day.

Many families are still facing a Christmas washout with rivers having burst their banks in the south of England, while plenty of festive travel plans have been scuppered.

(Image: PA) (Image: PA)

Around 100 properties have been flooded across the foot of the country and queues of up to an hour are predicted on the M25 thanks to the weekend's weather.

Yesterday residents in Little Venice Caravan Park in Yalding, Kent, had to be rescued by boat from floodwater.

"There's still some showers in the west and north west, especially in west Scotland," said forecaster Mr Petegna, referring to today's forecast, but added: "we're not expecting too much impacts from that."

He went on to say, much of central England is "getting away with [a] mostly dry" day and the average temperatures are likely to be 6-10C.

(Image: PA) (Image: PA)

And while Mr Petegna said "dry weather and lighter winds" can be expected on Christmas Day across much of the UK, making it a potentially "fine day for a walk", there will be a "wet and windy" end to the week.

"On Boxing Day it's strong winds and heavier rain," he said.

The RAC has warned of “bumper to bumper” traffic as 6.2 million people are looking to get away for the big day on Wednesday, reports the Express .

Ben Aldous, of the RAC, said: "It looks as though millions of drivers are planning to complete their Christmas getaway trips this week.

"Unfortunately, when you add in the prospect of unsettled weather, with heavy rain and strong winds in some parts, these are likely to be pretty unpleasant drives."

The Met Office five-day forecast

Today:

Spells of rain for parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the far north of England. Elsewhere, many areas dry with sunny spells with early showers in western parts of England and Wales fading. Some rain into Cornwall later. Windy.

Tonight:

Cloud and outbreaks of rain spreading across much of England and Wales. Showers following into southern UK and continuing in parts of Scotland. Freezing fog patches for parts of Scotland.

Tuesday:

Much of northern and central England and north Wales cloudy with early rain. Further south, windy and showery, especially south Wales and southern England. Also some showers over western Scotland.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Sunny but chilly on Christmas Day, turning more unsettled through Boxing Day with rain and strong winds pushing east. By Friday cloudy and mild, with rain mostly across the northwest.