Does Lancing flood?
What the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data says about Lancing
Ordnance Survey places 139 postcodes in Lancing 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 2,727 properties in the EA dataset's likelihood bands.
| EA likelihood band | Postcodes (worst band) | Properties in the EA dataset | of which homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | 9 | 139 | 126 |
| Medium | 0 | 21 | 18 |
| Low | 120 | 2,176 | 2,050 |
| Very low | 10 | 391 | 373 |
| All bands | 139 | 2,727 | 2,567 |
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 Lancing
Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Lancing watch River Adur.
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Shoreham Harbour Tidal
River Adur · 4.3 km away 2.92 mAOD
rises and falls with the tide · 35 min ago -
Beeding Bridge Tidal
River Adur · 6.0 km away 2.27 m
rises and falls with the tide · 35 min ago
Distances are from the middle of Lancing'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.
The watercourse nearest Lancing
The nearest watercourse on the river map is an unnamed stream, about 400 m from the middle of Lancing's at-risk postcodes. It flows into West Arm (River Adur) about 2.6 km downstream.
- Next gauge downstreamNone before the water reaches tidal water, about 1.5 km downstream (below that, gauges read the tide).
- Nearest gauge upstreamNone on the river map within 30 km upstream.
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 an unnamed stream nearest the middle of Lancing's at-risk postcodes. 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.
Flood warning areas near Lancing
11 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Lancing. The EA has issued 84 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 29 Sep 2026.
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Areas of Shoreham at risk including the High Street, Old Shoreham Road, Shoreham Airport, Riverside Road, Beach Green, Eastern parts of North and South Lancing, Broadway and Willowbrook caravan parks, Adur recreation ground and Aldrington Basin
no warning on record since 2006 0.8 km -
Areas of Shoreham at risk from a high tide including Eastern parts of North and South Lancing, Broadway and Willowbrook caravan parks, Adur recreation ground, Old Shoreham Road, Beach Green and Aldrington Basin
2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Dec 2013 0.8 km -
Beach front areas of Shoreham Beach
no warning on record since 2006 3.1 km -
Tidal areas of Shoreham Harbour including Brighton Road, houseboats, Shoreham Harbour and areas north of the A27
6 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Apr 2024 4.5 km -
Tidal areas of Shoreham Harbour including Brighton Road, houseboats, Shoreham Harbour and areas north of the A27
49 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2026 4.5 km -
Coastal areas of Rustington to Shoreham fort including Ferring, Worthing, Lancing and Shoreham Beach
17 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2026 5.4 km -
The River Adur at Upper Beeding and Bramber, including Newbrook Farm, and Beeding Manor
1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Oct 2023 6.3 km -
Coastal areas of Rustington, Ferring, Worthing and Lancing
no warning on record since 2006 7.1 km -
The Lower Adur and tributaries from Henfield to Shoreham-by-Sea
9 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Apr 2024 7.2 km -
The Ferring Rife at Ferring, including Goring, the A259 at Northbrook College, Ferring Lane, Highdown Way, Langbury Lane, Downview Avenue, Onslow and Brook Lane Caravan Parks
no warning on record since 2006 9.1 km -
Ferring Rife from the A259 at Northbrook College to Ferring Beach
no warning on record since 2006 9.1 km
Recorded floods near Lancing
Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of Lancing, 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 Mar 2014 — Winter 13/14 East Hampshire Aerial Photography Other
- 26 Aug 1992 — LANCING 1992 Other
- 21 Nov 1986 — LANCING 1986 Drainage
- 23 Nov 1984 — SHOREHAM-BY-SEA 1984 Other
- 20 Sep 1980 — WORTHING 1980 Other
- 20 Sep 1980 — SOMPTING 1980 Main river
- 20 Sep 1980 — Worthing 1980 Drainage
- 25 Nov 1976 — LANCING 1976 Drainage
- 23 Nov 1974 — LANCING 1974 Drainage
- 1 Nov 1960 — SHOREHAM BY SEA Drainage
- 1 Nov 1960 — Lancing 1960 Drainage
Rainfall near Lancing
Lancing gets about 763 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 90 mm; driest May, 44 mm). That is 34% drier than the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 2.7 km from the place centre.
The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (4.8 km away), recorded 0.5 mm in the last 24 hours and 87.0 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 35 min ago).
At-risk postcodes in Lancing
Every postcode Ordnance Survey places in Lancing that appears in the EA's rivers-and-sea dataset, worst band first. Each links to its own flood-risk page.
High likelihood (9)
Low likelihood (120)
Very low likelihood (10)
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.
Flood-risk bands: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved. Some features of this map are based on digital spatial data from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, © NERC (CEH). © Crown Copyright and Database Rights 2025 OS AC0000807064. This product is produced in part from PAF® and Multiple Residence Data, the copyright in which is owned by Royal Mail Group Limited and/or Royal Mail Group plc. All rights reserved. Licence number AC0000807064.
Recorded Flood Outlines, flood warning areas and warning history © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
River levels and rainfall: Environment Agency real-time flood-monitoring data, updated every 15 minutes (Open Government Licence v3.0).
Average rainfall: HadUK-Grid v1.3.2, Met Office. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Place names: Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026. Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.