Flood Warning Symbols
What do they Mean?
Flood Warning Symbols - What Do They Mean?
When you receive notification of a flood alert or flood warning it's
important that you know what they mean and what you need to do:
Flood Alert
What does a Flood Alert mean? - Flooding is possible and you should be prepared
When is an Alert issued? - 2 hours to 2 days in advance of flooding
What causes an Alert?
- Forecasts indicate that flooding from rivers may be possible
- Forecast of intense rainfall for rivers that respond very rapidly
- Forecasts of high tides, surges or strong winds
What should you do?
- Be prepared to act on your flood plan
- Prepare an emergency flood kit of essential items
- Avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water
- A Flood Alert could be upgraded to a warning so check for updates regularly
Flood Warning
What does a Flood Warning mean? - Flooding is expected and immediate action is required
When is a Flood Warning issued? – half an hour to one day in advance of flooding
What causes a Flood Warning?
- High tides and surges combined with strong wind
- Forecasted heavy rainfall potentially causing flash flooding of rivers
- Forecasted flooding from rivers
What should you do?
- Protect yourself and your family
- Move family, pets and valuables to a safe place
- Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if it is safe to do so
- Put flood protection equipment in place
- Help others if you can
- A Flood Warning could be upgraded to a severe flood warning so check for updates regularly
Severe Flood Warning
What does a Severe Flood Warning mean? – Severe flooding and danger to life
When is a Severe Flood Warning issued? - When flooding poses a significant risk to life or significant disruption to communities
What causes a Severe Flood Warning?
- Actual flooding where the conditions pose a significant risk to life and/or widespread disruption to communities
- Observations made in flooded locations
- A breach in defences or failure of a barrier that could cause significant risk to life
What should you do?
- Stay in a safe place with a means of escape
- Be ready if you need to evacuate from your home
- Co-operate with the emergency services.
- Call 999 if you are in immediate danger
You can sign up for free flood alerts and flood warnings via the Flood
Assist website and app. Our real-time warnings are based on live data
directly from the Environment Agency so you can guarantee you'll have the
most up to date information possible.
Have you got a question that we've not answered? Call our team on 01832 770770, we'll be happy to help.