UK Flood Timeline
2004–2024 • Scroll right or use the bottom bar →
Boscastle Flash Flood
August 2004On the afternoon of 16 August 2004, a localized but extreme thunder cell anchored itself over the Valency Valley in Cornwall. The storm was caused by a convergence of winds along the coast, which fed warm, moist air into a stationary system, dropping around 185mm of rain in just five hours. The steep, impermeable catchment channeled this deluge directly into the village of Boscastle. A 3-meter wall of water, carrying debris and uprooted trees, surged through the village, sweeping cars into the harbour and destroying buildings. The speed of the onset was terrifying; residents had minutes to react as the river burst its banks and converted the main street into a raging torrent.
Carlisle Floods
January 2005In January 2005, a severe winter storm brought hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall to Cumbria. The rainfall was prolonged, saturating the catchment of the River Eden and its tributaries. The river levels rose to unprecedented heights, eventually bursting their banks and inundating the city of Carlisle. The flooding was widespread, cutting off the city as roads and railways were submerged. Critical infrastructure was hit hard; the main police station was flooded to a depth of five feet, forcing officers to command operations from a mobile unit on high ground. The fire station was also flooded, hampering the emergency response.
The Summer Floods
June & July 2007The summer of 2007 is remembered as one of the most significant meteorological events in modern UK history. The period from May to July was the wettest since records began in 1766. In June, a slow-moving area of low pressure dumped torrential rain across Yorkshire and the Midlands. The drainage systems in cities like Hull were overwhelmed, leading to widespread surface water flooding that affected thousands of homes. In Sheffield, the Ulley Reservoir came dangerously close to breaching, which would have released a catastrophic wave of water onto the M1 motorway and downstream communities. A frantic effort by fire crews to pump water out of the dam prevented a disaster.
Morpeth Flood
September 2008On 6 September 2008, the town of Morpeth in Northumberland experienced its worst flooding since 1963. Intense, prolonged rainfall fell on the saturated catchment of the River Wansbeck. The river rose rapidly—by over 4 meters in places—and overtopped the town's existing flood defences. The speed of the onset caught many by surprise. Over 1,000 properties were inundated, including the town centre's historic high street. The floodwaters were so deep and fast-flowing that residents had to be evacuated by boat.
Cumbria Floods
November 2009In November 2009, a meteorological phenomenon known as an "atmospheric river" directed a narrow plume of warm, moist air over the Cumbrian fells for 36 consecutive hours. The resulting orographic rainfall was unprecedented; a rain gauge at Seathwaite recorded 316mm of rain in 24 hours, a UK record at the time. The sheer volume of water overwhelmed the River Derwent and River Cocker, which smashed through the towns of Cockermouth and Workington with devastating force.
Cornwall Floods
November 2010While the rest of the country prepared for winter, Cornwall was hit by severe flash flooding in November 2010. Intense rainfall caused rapid runoff from the steep hills surrounding St Austell Bay. The drainage systems in St Blazey, Par, and Lostwithiel were overwhelmed. Approximately 400 properties were flooded. The floodwaters were powerful enough to lift cars and stack them against each other in the streets of St Blazey.
The "Wettest Year"
2012The year 2012 began with a drought declaration but ended as the wettest year on record for England. The weather patterns flipped dramatically in April. By June, the country was experiencing "supercell" thunderstorms more common in the US Great Plains. One such storm anchored over Tyneside on 28 June—known locally as the "Toon Monsoon"—dumping 50mm of rain in under an hour. Roads became rivers, and a lightning strike blew a crater in the approach road to the Tyne Bridge.
East Coast Tidal Surge
December 2013On 5 December 2013, a deep area of low pressure moved across the North Sea, coinciding with high spring tides. The result was a massive tidal surge that moved down the East Coast of Britain. Sea levels were higher than during the devastating 1953 floods. However, unlike 1953, mass evacuations were ordered early, and improved flood defences—including the Thames Barrier, which was closed to protect London—largely held firm. Approximately 800,000 homes were protected that would otherwise have flooded.
Winter Floods
2013–2014The winter of 2013-14 was the wettest on record for England and Wales. A powerful jet stream directed a conveyor belt of storms across the Atlantic, battering the UK one after another. The Somerset Levels became the focal point of the crisis. The low-lying moors, designed to store floodwater, were overwhelmed. Stagnant, polluted water covered 65 square kilometres for months, turning villages like Muchelney into islands accessible only by boat. The prolonged crisis sparked a political firestorm, with residents blaming the Environment Agency for stopping river dredging.
Storm Desmond
December 2015In December 2015, Storm Desmond brought another "atmospheric river" to the North West. A new UK 24-hour rainfall record was set at Honister Pass: 341.4mm. The sheer volume of water was too much for the flood defences in Carlisle and Cockermouth, which had been upgraded after the 2005 and 2009 floods. The defences were overtopped, flooding thousands of homes again and causing despair in communities that thought they were protected. The McVitie's biscuit factory in Carlisle was flooded, halting production and leading to a national shortage of ginger nut biscuits.
London "Referendum Day" Floods
June 2016On 23 June 2016, the day of the EU Referendum, severe thunderstorms struck London and the South East. Some areas received a month's worth of rain in just one hour. The capital's drainage system, unable to cope with the intensity, backed up, causing widespread surface water flooding. Polling stations were forced to close or move, and commuters faced chaos as major transport hubs like Victoria Station were flooded.
Coverack Flash Flood
July 2017On 18 July 2017, a remarkably localized thunderstorm anchored itself over the coastal village of Coverack on the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall. While nearby towns remained dry, Coverack was pummeled by approximately 200mm of rain in three hours, along with hailstones the size of 50p pieces. A torrent of water cascaded down the steep main road, tearing up the tarmac and destroying retaining walls.
Storm Callum
October 2018In October 2018, Storm Callum brought persistent heavy rain to the west of the UK, with Wales bearing the brunt of the impact. The Brecon Beacons recorded huge rainfall totals, causing the River Towy and River Teifi to burst their banks. Carmarthenshire experienced its worst flooding in over 30 years. Tragically, a man died in a landslide caused by the sodden ground.
Whaley Bridge Dam Incident
August 2019In the summer of 2019, heavy rainfall damaged the concrete spillway of the Toddbrook Reservoir, which sits directly above the town of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire. Engineers discovered that the water flowing over the spillway had eroded the earth underneath the concrete slabs, creating a high risk of a complete dam failure. Such a breach would have sent millions of tonnes of water crashing into the town below, potentially resulting in significant loss of life.
Fishlake Floods
November 2019In November 2019, persistent rain fell on the catchment of the River Don in South Yorkshire. While Sheffield was largely protected by its defences, the water moved downstream to the village of Fishlake. The river burst its banks, transforming the village into an island. Many residents felt abandoned, stating they received little to no warning before the water entered their homes.
Storms Ciara, Dennis & Jorge
February 2020February 2020 was the wettest February on record. It was marked by a trio of storms that hit in quick succession. Storm Ciara arrived first, causing flooding in the Calder Valley. A week later, Storm Dennis dumped more rain on the already saturated ground. The impact was severe across Wales and the Midlands. In Pontypridd, the River Taff reached its highest level in 40 years, flooding the town centre and devastating local businesses.
Storm Francis
August 2020Following a summer heatwave, Storm Francis (and the preceding Storm Ellen) brought unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain in August 2020. The storm caused significant disruption in Wales and Northern Ireland. The wet and windy conditions were particularly damaging because trees were in full leaf, leading to widespread debris and blocked drains which exacerbated surface water flooding.
Storm Christoph
January 2021Storm Christoph hit the UK in January 2021, bringing heavy rain and snowmelt. The flooding affected Greater Manchester (particularly Didsbury and Northenden) and North Wales. What made this event unique was the context: it occurred during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and a national lockdown.
London Flash Floods
July 2021London suffered a double blow in July 2021. On 12 July and again on 25 July, intense thunderstorms dumped months of rain in a matter of hours. The Victorian sewer network was simply overwhelmed. Over 1,000 properties were flooded, many of them basement flats where the water rose rapidly, trapping residents and destroying possessions.
Storm Franklin
February 2022February 2022 saw three named storms in a week: Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin. While Eunice was primarily a wind event (with a record 122mph gust), Franklin brought the rain. The cumulative effect of the storms led to severe flooding along the River Severn. In Bewdley, the temporary flood barriers—which had successfully protected the town in previous years—were breached.
Summer Flash Floods
August 2022After a record-breaking heatwave and drought in the summer of 2022, heavy thunderstorms hit parts of the UK in August. The dry, baked ground was unable to absorb the water, leading to rapid runoff. The town of Market Rasen in Lincolnshire experienced "historic" flooding. Residents described the water rising to waist height in the streets within minutes, flooding homes and businesses that had never flooded before.
Storm Babet
October 2023Storm Babet was an unusual system; a "blocking high" over Scandinavia prevented the low pressure from moving east, causing it to stall over Scotland for days. The resulting rainfall was catastrophic for the county of Angus. Two red warnings for rain were issued. The town of Brechin was the epicentre.
Storm Henk
January 2024Following a wet autumn and a series of minor storms, Storm Henk hit in early January 2024. The ground was already completely saturated. The heavy rain caused widespread flooding across the Midlands and the South of England. The River Trent reached near-record levels, and the Thames flooded communities from Oxfordshire down to the outskirts of London.
Storm Isha
January 2024Storm Isha was primarily a wind storm, bringing gusts of over 90mph to parts of the UK. However, it also brought heavy rain to Cumbria and Scotland, exacerbating the wet conditions left by Storm Henk. The winds were so severe that operations at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria were suspended as a precautionary measure—a rare operational decision that highlights the potential for extreme weather to disrupt critical national infrastructure.
Flood Guidance Statement data from the Flood Forecasting Centre (a partnership of the Met Office and Environment Agency). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.