The Met Office has said it will carry out a review of its forecasts and warnings in the wake of Storm Babet, which devastated several homes and businesses in Suffolk and left towns and villages in waist-deep water. 

The county, which was hit with heavy rain and flooding on Friday, October 20, had been issued a yellow warning ahead of the storm, along with the rest of the East of England. 

Suffolk saw some of the heaviest rainfall in the country, breaking numerous river level records with Framlingham, Needham Market and Debenham amongst the worst affected areas.

In the wake of the storm, Matthew Hicks, leader of Suffolk County Council said many were left 'shocked' by Storm Babet's unanticipated devastation and Dan Holley, meteorologist at WeatherQuest, told BBC Radio Suffolk that, in hindsight, an amber warning was needed. 

A Met Office spokesperson said: "Storm Babet was a complex weather system impacting large parts of the UK over a number of areas.  

"We accurately predicted the impacts in Scotland, the localised high intensity rainfall that occurred in Suffolk was more difficult to forecast and this was reflected in the level of certainty within our warnings.

"This is shown by the fact that in the neighbouring county of Essex rainfall amounts were half of what occurred locally in Suffolk." 

East Anglian Daily Times: Cars were submerged in water and children were stranded in schools during the height of the flooding Cars were submerged in water and children were stranded in schools during the height of the flooding (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The Met Office released warnings on Monday and Wednesday for 25-50mm of rain to fall quite widely across a swathe of Eastern England.

The warning included the potential for flooding of properties, disruption to transport and communities being cut off by water. 

The spokesperson said: "Localised rainfall amounts were higher than expected; and we will of course be undertaking a full review of our forecasts and warnings associated with the very complex situation related to Storm Babet, working alongside our partners such as the Environment Agency, SEPA, Natural Resources Wales, emergency services and local resilience forums. 

"Our thoughts are with the communities who have been impacted by Storm Babet during what remains a very difficult time."