About flood alerts and warnings
What flood alerts and flood warnings mean
Flood alerts and warnings are issued directly to registered customers and published online. The types of messages that can be issued are:
- Flood alert – Flooding is possible - Be prepared
- Flood warning – Flooding is expected - Take action
- Severe flood warning – Severe flooding is expected - Danger to life
Flood alert
A flood alert means that flooding is possible so you should be prepared.
Flood alert icon description: A black house with 1 wavy line of water covering the bottom of it, within an orange triangle.
- A flood alert is issued for all sources of flooding such as fluvial, coastal, and surface water flooding
- Covers a wide geographical area - 19 flood alert areas covering whole of Scotland
- Usually issued between 7am - 9pm, but there may be occasions where flood alerts are issued at any time of the day (e.g. when there is a change in forecast)
When is it issued
Can be 2 to 48 hours in advance. However, we aim to issue around 24 hours in advance of expected flooding.
Flood warning
A flood warning means that flooding is expected so you should take action.
Flood warning icon description: A black house with 2 wavy lines of water covering the bottom of it, within a red triangle.
- A flood warning is issued at any time of the day
- Covers a smaller area, usually community level - 326 fluvial and coastal flood warning areas across Scotland (207 fluvial flood warning areas)
When is it issued
Aim to issue 3 to 6 hours in advance of expected flooding.
Severe flood warning
A severe flood warning means that severe flooding is expected and there is a danger to life.
Severe flood warning icon description: A red house with 3 wavy lines of water covering the bottom of it, within a red triangle.
- Due to the exceptional nature of severe flood warnings, we do not provide an SLA for issuing, as this will depend on external factors and expected impacts
- Severe flood warnings may be issued at any time of the day for any of our 326 flood warning areas
- Issued in consultation with Local Authorities and other responders
When is it issued
When flooding will pose a significant risk to life.
No longer in force
- No further flooding is expected
- Can be issued at any time of day, but where possible SEPA aim to issue between the hours of 7am and 9pm
When is it issued
When conditions are improving.
Other available data
SEPA’s Water Levels and Rainfall websites can also be used to show the latest observed data from our network of hydrometric stations.
This data is not published in real time so there can be a delay with the data being transferred from the station to being shown online. Both websites provides information on the frequency of their data updates.
Check flood alerts and warnings in your area
It is important to check the risk of flooding in your area. You can:
- View live flood warnings and alerts
- Sign up for flood warnings
- Check for flooding in the next 3 days
- Check your long-term flood risk
Get more help and information from Floodline
You can contact Floodline for advice on 0345 988 1188