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Orford Flooding

Suffolk • Live river level monitoring on Suffolk Coast
1 monitoring station
1 river
3 warning areas
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Flood alert nearby

Flood risk in Orford today: Watch

Conditions are worth watching: the Environment Agency has a Flood Alert in force for The tidal Deben estuary — flooding is possible from 11:15am to 1:15pm on Saturday 10th October. Flooding is possible — be prepared and keep an eye on updates.

Updated 2026-10-10 12:32:17 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide

About Orford
Orford
Village in Suffolk, England

Orford is a village and civil parish in the East Suffolk district, in Suffolk, England, within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is 9 miles (14 km) east of Woodbridge. In 2011 the parish had a population of 713.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Flood Contacts
Floodline 24hr
0345 988 1188
Emergency
999
Active Flood Alerts
The tidal Deben estuary Flood alert
High tides today may lead to flooding. Flooding is possible from 11:15am to 1:15pm on Saturday 10th October. Tide levels will be high around the boat yard in Felixstowe Ferry hamlet at the end of Ferr ... • 13.0km away
The map of Orford’s gauges and flood maps loads as you reach it.
Recent Flood Events
10 Oct 2026 11:20 Warning no longer in force
The Suffolk coast at Southwold
10 Oct 2026 11:20 Warning no longer in force
The Suffolk coast from Lowestoft to Bawdsey
10 Oct 2026 08:10 Flood Alert
The Suffolk and Essex coast from Felixstowe to Clacton including Orwell and Stour estuaries
10 Oct 2026 08:05 Flood Alert
The tidal Deben estuary
10 Oct 2026 07:56 Flood Alert
The tidal River Waveney from Ellingham to Breydon Water
9 Oct 2026 14:43 Flood Alert
The Suffolk coast from Lowestoft to Bawdsey

Does it flood near Orford?

Towns and villages near Orford with a page of their own: the homes in a flood risk area there, the nearest river gauges, and recorded floods.

Aldeburgh

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.

The watercourse nearest Orford

The nearest watercourse on the river map is an unnamed stream (tidal here), about 10 m from the middle of Orford's gauges. It flows into the River Ore about 50 m 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 an unnamed stream nearest the middle of Orford'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 Orford

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

Monitoring Stations

The Suffolk Coast is monitored by 1 station (Orford Ness). Each station records water levels continuously, with data synced to FloodRadar every 5 minutes.

Flood Warning Areas

There are 3 Environment Agency flood warning areas within 10km of Orford. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: The Suffolk coast from Orford Ness to Bawdsey, including Butley and Shingle Street; The Suffolk coast from Lowestoft to Bawdsey, including the Blyth and Alde and Ore estuaries; Snape, Iken and surrounding marshland.

What To Do During A Flood

If flooding is forecast in Orford, 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 Orford

Orford gets about 635 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month December, 65 mm; driest April, 35 mm). That is 45% 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), 1.9 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 Orford

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 →

  • 2013-12-05 — 2013 Flood Outline (Sea)
  • 1953-01-31 — 1953 Coast Flood Outline Suffolk (Sea)

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

Frequently asked questions

Is there flooding in Orford today?

Current verdict: Watch. Conditions are worth watching: the Environment Agency has a Flood Alert in force for The tidal Deben estuary — flooding is possible from 11:15am to 1:15pm on Saturday 10th October. Flooding is possible — be prepared and keep an eye on updates.

Which rivers affect Orford?

Orford has river level monitoring on Suffolk Coast — 1 monitoring station in total.

How do I check official flood warnings for Orford?

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 Orford flooded before?

Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 2 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 2013. 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 →