Conditions are worth watching: the Environment Agency has a Flood Alert in force for Somerset coast at Porlock Weir — flooding is possible from 17:30 to 19:30 on 10/10/2026. Flooding is possible — be prepared and keep an eye on updates.
Updated 2026-10-09 22:01:23 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide
Charles is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Brayford, in the North Devon district of Devon, England. Its nearest town is South Molton, which lies approximately 4.7 miles (7.6 km) south-east from the hamlet, just off the A399 road. In 1961 the parish had a population of 203. On 1 April 1986 the parish was abolished and merged with Brayford.
The nearest watercourse on the river map is the River Bray, about 10 m from the middle of Charles's gauges. It flows into the River Mole about 12 km downstream.
A gauge downstream shows water that has already passed this point; one upstream sees it first. Distances along the river are from the point on the River Bray nearest the middle of Charles'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.
Charles is monitored by 1 Environment Agency river level station on the River Bray, in Devon. Water levels are updated every 15 minutes, providing real-time flood monitoring for the area.
The River Bray is monitored by 1 station (Newtown Bridge). Each station records water levels continuously, with data synced to FloodRadar every 5 minutes.
There are 3 Environment Agency flood warning areas within 10km of Charles. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: riverside locations between Challacombe and Meethe including Brayford, Stags Head, Bray Bridge and Clapworthy; Riverside locations and roads in North Molton, including East Street and Mole Cottages, and riverside locations and roads in South Molton, including Mill on the Mole Residential Park, Riverside Caravan Park, and Mole Bridge Garage; the Upper River Exe from Exford to Exebridge, the Rivers Barle, Lyn, Mole and Bray and their tributaries, and coastal streams from Combe Martin to Lynton.
There are 2 storm overflows within 5km of Charles. None of the 2 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:
If flooding is forecast in Charles, 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.
Charles gets about 1,454 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month December, 176 mm; driest April, 80 mm). That is 25% wetter than 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), 1.7 km away. Average rainfall: HadUK-Grid v1.3.2, Met Office. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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 →
Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded.
Current verdict: Watch. Conditions are worth watching: the Environment Agency has a Flood Alert in force for Somerset coast at Porlock Weir — flooding is possible from 17:30 to 19:30 on 10/10/2026. Flooding is possible — be prepared and keep an eye on updates.
Charles has river level monitoring on River Bray — 1 monitoring station in total.
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.
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.
Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 3 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 1970. 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.
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