Storm Ciarán flood risk continues in Wales

Heavy rain and strong winds will continue to impact much of Wales today (November 2) as Storm Ciarán tracks towards North Wales. 

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is urging people to take care and stay vigilant for potential flooding with the yellow Met Office warning for rain for the whole of Wales in force until midnight tonight.   

Very heavy rainfall is expected in North Wales later today, including in areas of North East Wales that experienced flooding during Storm Babet. 

Members of the public should keep an eye on weather forecasts and prepare for potential flooding. 

With ground so saturated from recent rainfall, rivers are expected to respond and rise throughout today and tomorrow with surface water flooding and strong winds also a factor.  

A Severe Flood Warning is already in place on the River Ritec, Tenby. A Flood Warning is in place for the River Solva at Middle Mill, Solva and numerous flood alerts are in force across South and West Wales.

The flood warning pages are updated every 15 minutes at www.naturalresources.wales/flooding 

NRW’s teams have been working around the clock with partners to reduce the risk to communities and the expectation is that further flood alerts and warnings may be issued throughout the day. 

Ross Akers, NRW’s Duty Tactical Manager, said:  

“As Storm Ciarán continues to move across Wales there still remains a risk of significant flood impacts, and we are urging people to be aware of the weather forecasts and be prepared.  

“We’re expecting to see very heavy rainfall in North and Mid Wales later today (Thursday) and this rain will fall in places in North Wales that experienced flooding during Storm Babet. 

“Our teams are doing all they can to reduce the risk for communities. But if there is flooding we want to make sure people are doing all they can to keep themselves safe too. We urge people to keep away from swollen rivers, and not to drive or to walk through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and can contain hidden hazards. Allow extra time for any journeys as driving conditions will be hazardous. 

“Take care when out and about today – especially if visiting the South and Mid Wales coasts.  

“Making sure you know what the situation is like where you live is really important. You can check your flood risk and the latest flood alerts and warnings on our website which is refreshed every 15 minutes. Keep an eye on @NatResWales on X (Twitter) for the latest information and listen to weather reports and local news for details of any disruption in your area.” 

NRW is asking people to: 

• Register for NRW’s free flood warning service at www.naturalresources.wales/flooding or by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188. 
• Check the flood warning pages on NRW’s website for local flood alerts and flood warnings. These pages are updated every 15mins.  Natural Resources Wales / Flooding
• Think about how you can prepare your home and business now. Move valuables and vehicles to a higher location and think about packing a flood kit. NRW’s website has a range of information on how people can prepare for flooding.  

Information and updates are also available via Natural Resources Wales’s X (formerly Twitter) account: @NatResWales