Home › Cumberland › Castle Howe

Castle Howe Flooding

Cumberland • Live river level monitoring on Bassenthwaite Lake
1 monitoring station
1 river
8 warning areas
🏠 Thinking of buying in Castle Howe? Get the detailed Property Flood-Risk Report for any Castle Howe postcode — official risk band, recorded floods since 1703, warning history, river behaviour and nearby storm overflows. £19 one-off, instant. Learn more →

Flood risk in Castle Howe today: Watch

Conditions are worth watching: heavy rain has fallen nearby (19.6 mm in the last 24 hours at Rainfall station). Keep an eye on updates if heavy rain continues.

Updated 2026-10-09 15:11:56 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide

About Castle Howe
Castle Howe
Castle in Cumbria, England

Castle Howe is a motte and bailey castle in the town of Kendal, England.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Flood Contacts
Floodline 24hr
0345 988 1188
Emergency
999
The map of Castle Howe’s gauges and flood maps loads as you reach it.
Recent Flood Events
3 Oct 2026 09:20 Flood Alert
Rivers Ehen, Calder, Irt and Esk
3 Oct 2026 09:16 Flood Alert
Rivers Ehen, Calder, Irt and Esk
2 Oct 2026 15:52 Flood Alert
Rivers Ehen, Calder, Irt and Esk
30 Sep 2026 08:52 Flood Alert
Coast from Gretna to Silloth
29 Sep 2026 15:27 Flood Alert
Coast from Gretna to Silloth
8 Jun 2026 16:59 Flood Alert
Upper River Derwent, Stonethwaite Beck and Derwent Water

The watercourse nearest Castle Howe

Two mapped watercourses are about the same distance from the middle of Castle Howe's gauges: Dubwath Beck (about 440 m) and the River Derwent (about 540 m), so this page cannot say which one is nearer to you.

Distances along the river are from the point on each watercourse nearest the middle of Castle Howe's gauges. From Ordnance Survey’s river map (OS Open Rivers), which leaves out small streams, ditches and culverts, so a nearer one may exist. This describes where water goes on the map; it says nothing about flooding at any address. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026.

Useful Links
Flood Monitoring in Castle Howe

Castle Howe is monitored by 1 Environment Agency river level station on the Bassenthwaite Lake, in Cumberland. Water levels are updated every 15 minutes, providing real-time flood monitoring for the area.

Monitoring Stations

The Bassenthwaite Lake is monitored by 1 station (Castle Howe). Each station records water levels continuously, with data synced to FloodRadar every 5 minutes.

Flood Warning Areas

There are 8 Environment Agency flood warning areas within 10km of Castle Howe. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: Coledale Beck at Braithwaite, Croft Terrace, Scotgate Holiday Park and Ashcroft Close; River Derwent from Keswick to Bassenthwaite. The Rivers Greta, Glenderamackin and St Johns Beck including Keswick; Properties adjacent to the River Cocker at Southwaite Bridge, including Southwaite Mill; Residential and commercial properties adjacent to the River Cocker at Cockermouth, Market Place, Market Street and Banks Court areas.

Sewage Discharge Monitoring

There are 3 storm overflows within 5km of Castle Howe. None of the 3 with a reporting monitor are currently discharging. Enable "Sewage" on the map above to see their locations.

Each has its own page of live status and past discharges:

What To Do During A Flood

If flooding is forecast in Castle Howe, call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for the latest information. Move valuables upstairs, turn off gas and electricity if safe to do so, and avoid walking or driving through flood water. Sign up for flood warnings on any station page above to receive email alerts when water levels rise. For emergency numbers, a preparation checklist and insurance guidance, see our flood help & preparation guide.

How much rain falls on Castle Howe

Castle Howe gets about 1,329 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month December, 153 mm; driest April, 71 mm). That is close to the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. See the rain gauges →

A thirty-year average for the area, not a forecast and not a flood risk on its own. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 2.8 km away. Average rainfall: HadUK-Grid v1.3.2, Met Office. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Recorded floods near Castle Howe

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of the town centre — most recent first. These are records of mapped extents, not a full list of floods. See them on the map →

  • 2020-02-09 — Storm Ciara 09_02_2020 (Main river)
  • 2015-12-05 — Isel 05_12_2015
  • 2015-12-05 — Bassenthwaite 05_12_2015
  • 2015-12-05 — Chapel 05_12_2015 (Ordinary watercourse)
  • 2015-12-05 — Bassenthwaite 05_12_2015 (Main river)
  • 2013-08-05 — Embleton flooding 05/08/2013 (Ordinary watercourse)
  • 2009-11-19 — Isel Br to Ouse Br Bass Fill (Main river)
  • 2009-11-19 — Ouse Bridge November 2009 flooding (Main river)
  • 2009-11-19 — Isel Bridge November 2009 flooding (Main river)
  • 2009-11-19 — Dubwath November 2009 Flooding (Main river)
  • 2002-02-01 — Flooding 01_02_2002
  • 2000-10-28 — Flooding 28_10_2000 (River)

Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded.

Frequently asked questions

Is there flooding in Castle Howe today?

Current verdict: Watch. Conditions are worth watching: heavy rain has fallen nearby (19.6 mm in the last 24 hours at Rainfall station). Keep an eye on updates if heavy rain continues.

Which rivers affect Castle Howe?

Castle Howe has river level monitoring on Bassenthwaite Lake — 1 monitoring station in total.

How do I check official flood warnings for Castle Howe?

Use the GOV.UK Check for Flooding service (check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk) or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 (24 hours). You can also set up free FloodRadar email or browser alerts from any station page above.

What should I do during a flood warning?

Follow official advice: move valuables and vehicles to safety, never walk or drive through flood water, turn off gas and electricity if safe, and check on vulnerable neighbours. See our flood preparation guide at floodradar.co.uk/flood-help.

Has Castle Howe flooded before?

Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 7 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 2020. That is a count of mapped extents, not of separate floods. Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded. See the flood history link below.

🏠 Buying or renting around here? Get the Property Flood-Risk Report for any English postcode — official risk band, recorded floods, warning history, river behaviour and nearby storm overflows. £19 one-off. Learn more →