The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain and strong winds across Macclesfield, Cheshire, for Thursday, 5 February 2026. The Met Office says there is about a 90% probability of heavy downpours following recent icy weather, which could create difficult driving conditions and local surface-water flooding as melt and rain run off the currently frozen ground.
Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 38 mph, with the heaviest weather forecast between 2:00pm and 8:00pm. These gusts could be enough to bring down weakened tree branches. The briefing says there is a ‘high (around 60%) reach’, meaning more than half of local commuters could be affected by travel disruption during Thursday’s evening rush hour. Some independent models suggest localized higher gusts (around 45 mph) may occur on higher ground such as Bollington and Rainow.
Cheshire East Highways staff are on standby to manage potential flooding on major routes such as the A523 (Silk Road). The Silk Road near the Hibel Road roundabout and the Tesco superstore are known surface-water ‘blackspots’ and have flooded during previous heavy storms; drivers should take care in these areas.
The Environment Agency is monitoring water levels in the River Bollin as the rain moves in. Cheshire East Highways is advising residents to clear any debris or leftover grit from private driveway drains to help rainwater flow away more easily and reduce localized pooling.
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