Flood Risk Tools • How-To Guide

Check for Flooding: Live Warnings & River Levels

The Environment Agency's real-time service for current flood alerts and warnings, the 5-day forecast, and live river, sea, groundwater and rainfall levels — how to use it and what it's for.

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Official EA / industry tool
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Step-by-step guide
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What the result means
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Free advice if you need it

What Check for Flooding shows

Where the long-term checker is about risk over years, 'Check for Flooding' is about now and the next few days. It shows current flood alerts and warnings, a 5-day national flood forecast produced by the Met Office and Environment Agency, and live readings from river, sea, groundwater and rainfall measuring stations.

It's the tool to use operationally — for a site during construction, for a flood-vulnerable property, or as part of a flood warning and evacuation plan where occupants need to know when to act.

Open Check for Flooding →

How to use it — step by step

Four quick steps to get what you need from the tool.

1. Search your area

Enter a postcode, town or river to see any current alerts or warnings and the local 5-day risk.

2. Understand alert vs warning

A Flood Alert means flooding is possible — be prepared. A Flood Warning means flooding is expected — act now. A Severe Flood Warning means danger to life.

3. Check nearby measuring stations

View live river, sea and groundwater levels from gauges near your site to understand current conditions and trends.

4. Register for warnings

For an at-risk site, sign up for free flood warnings so you're notified by phone, text or email — essential for any flood warning and evacuation plan.

Using this in a flood plan

For highly vulnerable sites — caravan parks, campsites, glamping and some residential — a flood warning and evacuation plan uses this service and the free warning sign-up as its trigger mechanism. We prepare those plans, setting out who acts on which warning and how occupants reach safety. Get in touch if you need one.

Related: Flood Emergency & Evacuation Plan  •  Caravan, Camping & Glamping FRA  •  Sign up for flood warnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a flood alert and a flood warning?
A Flood Alert means flooding is possible and you should be prepared. A Flood Warning means flooding is expected and you should act now. A Severe Flood Warning means there is a danger to life.
Does Check for Flooding cover surface water flooding?
The live warnings and river/sea gauges relate mainly to river and coastal flooding. Surface water (flash) flooding from intense rainfall is not covered by the warning service, which is why an FRA assesses it separately.
How up to date is the information?
River, sea and rainfall gauge readings update frequently (often every 15 minutes), and flood warnings are issued in real time by the Environment Agency, so it is the right tool to use during a live weather event.

Not sure what your result means?

Send us your postcode and we'll tell you, free, whether your site needs a Flood Risk Assessment.

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Or contact us directly: 07826 705389  •