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Flood warning in place in Calderdale - sirens sounded in Calder Valley
Flood warnings are in place across Calderdale and surface water is covering many roads including the district's motorways.
Hebden Bridge is on alert after a flood warning was issued at around 9.20am and the flood sirens were sounded.
Drivers travelling to work on Monday morning face treacherous conditions on Calderdale's roads due to heavy rain.
The spray and slippery surfaces meant commuters travelling into and out of Calderdale were faced with slow moving traffic and delays.
On the M62 surface water covered the carriageways in both directions between Junction 24, Ainley Top, and Junction 32, Parkfields.
This left motorists on the Leeds Manchester commuter belt travelling at an average speed of around 25mph this morning between Junction 25, Brighouse, and Junction, Gildersome.
The M1 and M621 presented drivers with similar problems.
And on lesser roads two flood watch warnings were issued by the Environment Agency for the Calderdale area.
Flood duty officers have been closely monitoring rainfall levels over the weekend and have been working with the Met Office to predict how rivers will cope.
The flood watch codes, which indicate that flooding of low lying land and roads is expected, affect both the upper catchment of the River Calder, from Todmorden to Brighouse, and the lower catchment, from Brighouse to Castleford.
Rainfall totals of 30 to 50mm were forecast for today with the River Calder already rising.
Regional flood risk manager Mark Tinnion said: " We have been monitoring the situation very closely and we are starting to patrol areas at risk.
"Catchments remain saturated and many of the upstream washlands are already full, so heavy rainfall is likely to cause some flooding."
And Andrew Fisher, also from the Environment Agency, said the flood watch gradings for the River Calder could be increased to more worrying flood warnings or severe flood warnings this afternoon.
Today the Environment Agency are advising drivers to monitor local news and weather forecasts, be aware of water levels nearby, keep their mobile phones charged, and to have a flood plan and be prepared to act on it.
It also says people should check on the safety of pets and livestock.
Light rain and showers is predicted for the rest of the week.
A CAR ploughed through a fence and into a field during heavy rain this morning.
The driver of the Ford Focus was taken to hospital by ambulance after the accident on the A629 Halifax Road, Denholme, just before 6am.
It is believed he suffered back injuries.
Firefighters from Illingworth, Keighley and Fairweather Green had to cut the roof off the car to free the driver and spent an hour at the scene.
One lane was closed by police for more than hour.
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Weather for Halifax
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -5 C to -0 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
