Does Norwich flood?

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

Ordnance Survey places 235 postcodes in Norwich 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 4,088 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 Norwich

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Norwich watch River Yare, River Wensum, Spixworth Beck, River Tas.

• Colney
  River Yare · 4.6 km away 0.25 m
  normal range · 55 min ago
• Costessey Mill
  River Wensum · 6.2 km away 0.30 m
  normal range · steady · 31 min ago
• Spixworth
  Spixworth Beck · 7.4 km away 0.10 m
  normal range · steady · 25 min ago
• Shotesham
  River Tas · 9.7 km away 0.22 m
  normal range · steady · 25 min ago
• Brundall
  River Yare · 10.0 km away 0.82 mAOD
  normal range · falling · 25 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Norwich'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 Norwich

9 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Norwich. The EA has issued 67 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 8 Dec 2024.

• The River Wensum, through Norwich
  no warning on record since 2006 0.6 km
• Riverside properties on the River Wensum, through Norwich, including Bishopgate and Norwich City Football Ground
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Jan 2024 1.3 km
• The River Wensum from New Costessey to Thorpe Bridge at Norwich
  10 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2024 1.4 km
• The River Yare from the A11 at Cringleford to Trowse Newton
  5 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2024 3.4 km
• The River Yare at Norwich, from Cringleford to Trowse Newton
  23 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2024 5.0 km
• The Spixworth Beck from Horsham St Faith to Crostwick
  10 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2024 7.0 km
• The River Tas through Stoke Holy Cross, to the A47 road bridge at Caistor St Edmund
  5 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2023 7.1 km
• The River Yare from Barnham Broom to the A11 at Cringleford
  12 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Dec 2024 8.6 km
• The River Wensum from Swanton Morley, to and including Costessey
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Jan 2024 9.2 km

Recorded floods near Norwich

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of Norwich, 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 Dec 2013 — 2013 Flood Outline Sea
• 14 Nov 1993 — 1993 Fluival Flood Outline Main river
• 12 Jan 1968 — 1968 September Flood Outline Main river
• 31 Jan 1953 — 1953 Coast Flood Outline Norfolk Sea
• 27 Sep 1912 — 1912 Norwich Flood Outline Main river

Rainfall near Norwich

Norwich gets about 668 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 68 mm; driest April, 40 mm). That is 43% drier than the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 1.6 km from the place centre.

At-risk postcodes in Norwich

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

High likelihood (25)

Medium likelihood (23)

Low likelihood (187)

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.