Weekend of downpours prompts weather warnings for Wales

A Wales-wide "be aware" alert is in force for Saturday and Sunday, with up to 3in (80mm) of rain in places over 24 hours and flooding possible.

The Met Office said the heaviest of the rain for south Wales will fall on Saturday daytime, with another bout overnight into Sunday.

The rain will push into north Wales later in the day and into Sunday.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has two flood warnings in place.

The warnings covered Pontargothi and Pontynyswen, and Abergwili, in Carmarthenshire. The agency said it expected to issue alerts in north Wales too.

It said the public should anticipate some road closures "as drains struggle to cope".

"NRW is advising people to allow extra time for journeys as driving conditions may be difficult, particularly on roads already busy with Christmas shoppers," they added.

The Met Office forecasters said higher ground in the Brecon Beacons in Powys could see up to 3in of rain, while parts of Snowdonia and north Wales up to 2.4in (60mm).

The River Conwy near Llanrwst

Areas covered by the yellow alert are: Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Powys, Denbighshire, Carmarthenshire, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, Pembrokeshire and Vale of Glamorgan.

The fresh warning follows a sustained period of wet weather across Wales, which has already led to flooding, especially in parts of Snowdonia, the Conwy Valley and Anglesey.

In one incident, farmer Paul Williams was forced to swim in flood water on land near Llanrwst, Conwy, for four hours after 170 sheep were swept away.