Flood guide ยท 22 October 2026
The quickest check is the Environment Agency's free Check for flooding service on GOV.UK. It shows live flood alerts and warnings, and river gauges for the Ouse and Foss in York, the Nidd at Knaresborough and the Wharfe at Otley and Ilkley. Sign up once for free warnings by text, call or email, either online or through Floodline on 0345 988 1188. Before you drive, check your council's road closure pages. One gap to know about: the Environment Agency doesn't issue warnings for surface water or flash flooding.
In England the Environment Agency uses three levels (GOV.UK, Flood alerts and warnings):
A flood alert for the Ouse doesn't mean your street will flood. It means it is time to start watching the gauges.
The main gauge for the city is River Ouse at Viking Recorder. Its page on Check for flooding shows the latest height, whether it is rising or falling, a 36-hour forecast, and what has happened at different heights in the past (River Ouse level at Viking Recorder).
The page lists the normal range as 0.05m to 1.90m. Above 2.20m low-lying land may flood and alerts may be issued, and above 3.00m property flooding is possible. It also records historical flooding: properties at St George's Field at 3.40m, the York city centre at 4.17m, the A19 at Fulford at 4.47m, and Skeldergate and River Street at 4.57m. The highest level ever recorded there was 5.40m, on 4 November 2000. The Environment Agency adds that flooding may not happen again at the same levels, because flood schemes have since been built.
Other York gauges on the same service include the River Foss at Castle Mills Sluices and the Ouse at the Foss Barrier. You can find all of them by searching "York" on the river and sea levels page.
Search your town on the same service to find the nearest gauge:
GOV.UK points out that flooding can happen even if you don't live or work near a river (GOV.UK). In Harrogate town and other places away from the main rivers, heavy rain can overwhelm drains, and surface water is the one type the Environment Agency doesn't send warnings for. The Met Office's weather warnings are the better early signal.
Local councils handle roads, drains and sandbags. City of York Council covers York, North Yorkshire Council covers Harrogate and Knaresborough, Leeds City Council covers Wetherby and Otley, and Bradford Council covers Ilkley. Our York coverage and Harrogate coverage pages link to each council's main source.
City of York Council puts traffic management plans and diversions in place during floods and publishes a list of temporary road closures. iTravel York shows which roads, bus routes and cycle paths are prone to flooding (iTravel York flood information). The council's advice is (City of York Council, What to do during a flood):
Riverside parks, including Tower Gardens and Rowntree Park, regularly become unusable when river levels are high. The council also warns that flood water can hide sharp objects, raised manhole covers and pollution.
For the rest of the area, North Yorkshire Council publishes road closures and flood safety advice on its flooding pages. Our travel page collects the rail, bus and road status links for your morning check.
In York, the council says it provides sandbags automatically to communities at immediate risk when river levels are expected to be high, so they don't need to ask. Individual homes and businesses only get sandbags from council stock if there is an immediate threat, enough stock remains for priority areas, and the water isn't expected to top existing defences. The council may charge for this. It suggests buying sand and bags from local builders' merchants, and notes that sandbags can't be collected from its Hazel Court depot (City of York Council).
North Yorkshire Council runs community sandbag stores, and explains how to request sandbags on its flooding pages.
A few things are worth doing while the rivers are low (GOV.UK, Prepare for flooding):
Short answers for York, Harrogate and North Leeds, with the official page named in each one.
Sign up free on GOV.UK or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188, which runs 24 hours a day. You can choose a phone call, text or email, and warnings cover flooding from rivers, the sea and groundwater.
No. Its warning service doesn't cover surface water flooding, sometimes called flash flooding. Watch Met Office weather warnings for heavy rain instead.
On the River Ouse at Viking Recorder, the Environment Agency says property flooding is possible above 3.00m and low-lying land may flood above 2.20m. The record is 5.40m, set on 4 November 2000.
The council delivers sandbags to communities at immediate risk. Individual properties may get them only in limited circumstances, and the council suggests buying sand and bags from local builders' merchants.
York, Harrogate and North Leeds before breakfast.