YORK could suffer its worst flooding since 2015 later this week, experts have warned.

The Environment Agency said today that it expected the River Ouse to peak in the early hours of Friday at between 4.5 metres and 4.7 metres above normal summer levels.

The river peaked at about 4.5 metres above normal last February, when roads such as Skeldergate, Terry Avenue and Fordlands Road in Fulford were blocked and some riverside properties were inundated, but many other properties had a narrow escape.

The river rose to 5.2 metres in the Boxing Day 2015 floods, when hundreds of properties were inundated alongside both the Ouse and the Foss. The Foss Barrier and Pumping Station has since undergone a massive upgrade.

The agency said in an updated flood warning this afternoon that the river level at the York Viking recorder was currently 3.63 metres above normal and rising slowly, following rainfall on Monday and Tuesday.

It said the Foss Barrier was in operation and flood gates were closed, and people should be aware that persistent and heavy rain was forecast until tomorrow.

Weather forecasters say there will be more heavy rain in the Dales catchment through today and tonight, although the rain could turn to snow in some higher areas early tomorrow.