Does Luton flood?

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

Ordnance Survey places 129 postcodes in Luton 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 1,947 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 Luton

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Luton watch River Lee, River Ver.

• Luton, Stockingstone Road
  River Lee · 1.5 km away 0.03 m
  normal range · steady · 39 min ago
• Luton, Toddington Road Structure
  River Lee · 1.9 km away 0.00 m
  controlled by a sluice or weir · 39 min ago
• Luton East Hyde
  River Lee · 7.0 km away 1.11 m
  normal range · steady · 24 min ago
• Markyate Structure
  River Ver · 7.1 km away No recent reading
  last reported 26 Oct 2026 16:00

Distances are from the middle of Luton'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 Luton

3 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Luton. The EA has issued 8 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 19 Dec 2024.

• River Lee at Luton
  4 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2024 0.2 km
• The River Ver at Markyate including Flamstead, Harpenden
  no warning on record since 2006 8.8 km
• Areas at risk of groundwater flooding around Flamstead, including Trowley Bottom and Lower Sawpit Wood
  4 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Dec 2024 9.3 km

Recorded floods near Luton

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

• 22 Sep 2024 — EA06SeptemberAutumn2024
• 28 May 2007 — 06MaySpring2007 Main river
• 4 Jul 2006 — 06JulySummer2006 Main river
• 28 Jun 2005 — 06JuneSummer2005
• 1 Apr 1998 — 06AprilEaster1998 Main river
• 1 Jan 1995 — 06SeptemberWinter1995 Main river
• 1 Sep 1992 — ea06SeptemberAutumn1992 Main river
• 1 Jan 1990 — 06FebruaryWinter1990 Main river
• 1 Jan 1987 — 06JulySummer1987 Main river
• 1 Jan 1947 — 06MarchSpring1947 Main river

Rainfall near Luton

Luton gets about 682 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 71 mm; driest March, 43 mm). That is 41% 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.

At-risk postcodes in Luton

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

High likelihood (15)

Medium likelihood (27)

Low likelihood (47)

Very low likelihood (40)

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.