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Morpeth Flooding

Northumberland • Live river level monitoring on River Wansbeck
1 monitoring station
1 river
6 warning areas
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Does Morpeth flood? 124 postcodes in Morpeth are in the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data (10 High, 9 Medium likelihood) — the breakdown is further down this page.

Flood risk in Morpeth today: Normal

No official flood warning is active nearby and the closest river stations are within normal ranges.

Updated 2026-10-09 13:00:15 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide

About Morpeth
Morpeth
Town in Northumberland, England

Morpeth is a historic market town in Northumberland, England, lying on the River Wansbeck. Nearby towns include Ashington and Bedlington. In the 2011 census, the population of Morpeth was given as 14,017, up from 13,833 in the 2001 census. The earliest evidence of settlement is believed to be from the Neolithic period, and some Roman artefacts have also been found.

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 Morpeth’s gauges and flood maps loads as you reach it.
Recent Flood Events
27 Sep 2026 18:41 Flood Alert
Northumberland coast
27 Sep 2026 10:09 Flood Alert
Northumberland coast
20 Aug 2026 09:28 Flood Alert
Rivers Derwent, Team, Don and estuarine tributaries
19 Aug 2026 17:03 Flood Alert
Rivers Derwent, Team, Don and estuarine tributaries
18 Jul 2026 11:12 Flood Alert
Northumberland coast
17 Jul 2026 15:48 Flood Alert
Northumberland coast

Does Morpeth flood?

Ordnance Survey places 124 postcodes in Morpeth 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 1,310 properties in the EA dataset's likelihood bands.

EA likelihood bandPostcodes (worst band)Properties in the EA datasetof which homes
High101917
Medium94942
Low1021,193966
Very low34937
All bands1241,3101,062

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.

The 100 highest-likelihood of the 124 at-risk postcodes in Morpeth

High likelihood (10)

Medium likelihood (9)

Low likelihood (102)

…and 24 more at-risk postcodes, listed on the district pages below.

Postcode districts

Places nearby with a page of their own

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

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.

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.

All data sources & licences

The watercourse nearest Morpeth

The nearest watercourse on the river map is the River Wansbeck, about 40 m from the middle of Morpeth's gauges. It flows on to the sea.

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 Wansbeck nearest the middle of Morpeth'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 Morpeth

Morpeth is monitored by 1 Environment Agency river level station on the River Wansbeck, in Northumberland. Water levels are updated every 15 minutes, providing real-time flood monitoring for the area.

Monitoring Stations

The River Wansbeck is monitored by 1 station (Morpeth). Each station records water levels continuously, with data synced to FloodRadar every 5 minutes.

Flood Warning Areas

There are 6 Environment Agency flood warning areas within 10km of Morpeth. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: Properties and low lying areas at Mitford Road, High Stanners, Morpeth Town Centre, Low Stanners and Middle Greens; Properties and low lying areas at East Mill, Wansbeck Street and the Riverside Leisure Centre at Morpeth; Properties and low lying areas at Abbey Mills; Properties at Bothal Village, Sheepwash Bank, Sheepwash Gardens and The Bungalow at Sheepwash.

Sewage Discharge Monitoring

There are 18 storm overflows within 5km of Morpeth. None of the 17 with a reporting monitor are currently discharging (1 has no live status right now). Enable "Sewage" on the map above to see their locations.

6 of them, nearest first, with their own page of live status and past discharges:

What To Do During A Flood

If flooding is forecast in Morpeth, 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 Morpeth

Morpeth gets about 763 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 86 mm; driest March, 49 mm). That is 34% drier 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), 2.5 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 Morpeth

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 →

  • 2023-10-19 — East Mill, Morpeth Storm Babet October 2023 (Main river)
  • 2023-10-19 — Morpeth Storm Babet October 2023 (Main river)
  • 2012-09-25 — Morpeth Cotting Burn 25th September 2012 (Main river)
  • 2012-09-25 — Morpeth Mitford Road 25th September 2012 (Main river)
  • 2012-09-06 — Hepscott in 2012 - Fluvial and SW (Ordinary watercourse)
  • 2010-01-31 — Morpeth (Main river)
  • 2009-07-17 — River Wansbeck, Morpeth, 2009 (Main river)
  • 2008-09-07 — Hepscott, Northumberland, surface water (Drainage)
  • 2008-09-07 — Highford Bridge area, Mitford Bridge (Main river)
  • 2008-09-07 — Hepscott, Northumberland (Main river)
  • 2008-09-07 — Hepscott, Northumberland, ordinary watercourse (Ordinary watercourse)
  • 2008-09-06 — Lower River Wanseck (Main river)

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

Frequently asked questions

Is there flooding in Morpeth today?

Current verdict: Normal. No official flood warning is active nearby and the closest river stations are within normal ranges.

Which rivers affect Morpeth?

Morpeth has river level monitoring on River Wansbeck — 1 monitoring station in total.

How do I check official flood warnings for Morpeth?

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 Morpeth flooded before?

Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 13 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 2012. 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 →