Does Brightlingsea flood?

What the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data says about Brightlingsea

Ordnance Survey places 46 postcodes in Brightlingsea in the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk dataset (Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea). Each postcode is counted once, under the worst band any of its properties reaches; together they hold 683 properties in the EA dataset's likelihood bands.

This dataset covers flooding from rivers and the sea only — one of five flood sources. Surface water, groundwater, sewers and reservoirs are assessed separately, so a postcode missing from it is not proof that a place cannot flood. The band describes the land around properties (allowing for defences), not any single address and not today's conditions.

Rivers and live river levels near Brightlingsea

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Brightlingsea watch Essex Coast.

• Colne Barrier Tidal
  Essex Coast · 6.3 km away -0.39 mAOD
  rises and falls with the tide · 38 min ago
• Clacton Pier Tidal
  Essex Coast · 9.6 km away -1.96 mAOD
  rises and falls with the tide · 38 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Brightlingsea's at-risk postcodes. Tidal and structure gauges are shown as readings only — the tide and sluice gates move them, not floods. A gauge with no recent reading shows no level.

Flood warning areas near Brightlingsea

6 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Brightlingsea. The EA has issued 26 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 25 Oct 2026.

• The tidal River Colne from Brightlingsea to the Colne Barrier at Wivenhoe
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2017 1.5 km
• The tidal River Colne at Point Clear from the Tower Estate to Oakmead Road and Osyth Creek
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2017 2.2 km
• The marshland around East Mersea, including the land bordering Pyefleet Channel, Brightlingsea Reach and the Mersea Flats
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Dec 2013 3.7 km
• The Essex coast from Clacton Lifeboat station to Lee-over-sands, including Jaywick and Seawick
  10 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2026 5.5 km
• The Essex coast at West Mersea, including The Strood and surrounding marshland from the Colne Barrier to Abbotts Hall Farm
  11 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2026 6.7 km
• The tidal River Colne upstream of the Colne Barrier at Wivenhoe, including the Roman River at Fingringhoe and Colchester
  no warning on record since 2006 7.7 km

Recorded floods near Brightlingsea

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of Brightlingsea, most recent first. Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded. See them on the map →

• 5 Dec 2013 — 2013 Flood Outline Sea
• 9 Jan 2009 — 2009 Flood Outline Main river
• 12 Jan 1968 — 1968 September Flood Outline Main river
• 1 Jun 1958 — 1958 Flood Outline Other
• 31 Jan 1953 — 1953 Coast Flood Outline Essex Sea
• 13 Feb 1947 — 1947 Flood Outline Main river

Rainfall near Brightlingsea

Brightlingsea gets about 542 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month October, 58 mm; driest March, 33 mm). That is 53% drier than the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 1.2 km from the place centre.

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (1.7 km away), recorded 3.6 mm in the last 24 hours and 34.6 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 23 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in Brightlingsea

Every postcode Ordnance Survey places in Brightlingsea that appears in the EA's rivers-and-sea dataset, worst band first. Each links to its own flood-risk page.

High likelihood (36)

Medium likelihood (3)

Low likelihood (7)

Postcode districts

Sources

FloodRadar summarises public flood data. It is not a flood-risk survey of any property, and it does not replace official GOV.UK flood warnings or the GOV.UK long-term flood risk service.