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The Met Office has urged drivers never to do one thing ahead of a yellow rain warning this evening. The yellow alert will come into effect at 6pm tonight, February 2, until 9pm on Tuesday evening across southwest England.

Up to 60mm of rain could accumulate over Dartmoor, while 10-20 mm has been forecast fairly widely across the warning area, which includes Devon, Dorset, Cornwall and Portsmouth. The Met Office warned that this downpour may lead to some flooding and disruption, especially since the ground in some areas is saturated due to recent rainfall.

Hundreds of flood warnings and alerts were in place after Storm Chandra brought heavy rain across the country at the start of last week. Images shared online showed vast areas of floodwater in parts of southwest England.

The Met Office has now warned of a possible "danger to life" until Tuesday evening in the warning areas where there is a small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater.

It said that spray or flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and road closures until Tuesday, and during these potentially dangerous conditions, the agency urged drivers to never drive into floodwater, even if it appears shallow.

The stark warning said: "If the road is flooded, turn around and find another route. The number one cause of death during flooding is driving through flood water, so the safest advice is turn around, don't drown."

It explained that just 30cm (12inches) of moving water can float a car, potentially taking it to deeper water, from which "you may need rescuing".

Flood water also contains hidden hazards that can damage your car, while just an egg-cupful of water could cause severe problems if it gets sucked into the engine, warned the Met Office.

The agency recommended packing a winter car kit, in case of emergencies, that includes several emergency items such as warm clothes, blankets and food.

It also recommended packing an in-car phone charger so drivers can stay connected and call for help, but urged drivers not to rely on their smartphone for light and to pack a large torch with spare batteries.