Does Shoreham-by-Sea flood?

What the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data says about Shoreham-by-Sea

Ordnance Survey places 111 postcodes in Shoreham-by-Sea 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 1,795 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 Shoreham-by-Sea

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Shoreham-by-Sea watch River Adur.

• Shoreham Harbour Tidal
  River Adur · 1.8 km away -1.98 mAOD
  rises and falls with the tide · 36 min ago
• Beeding Bridge Tidal
  River Adur · 6.1 km away 0.79 m
  rises and falls with the tide · 36 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Shoreham-by-Sea'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 Shoreham-by-Sea

11 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Shoreham-by-Sea. The EA has issued 109 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 29 Sep 2026.

• Beach front areas of Shoreham Beach
  no warning on record since 2006 0.8 km
• 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 1.7 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 1.7 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 2.0 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 2.0 km
• The River Adur at Upper Beeding and Bramber, including Newbrook Farm, and Beeding Manor
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Oct 2023 6.4 km
• The Lower Adur and tributaries from Henfield to Shoreham-by-Sea
  9 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Apr 2024 7.1 km
• Coastal areas of Rustington to Shoreham fort including Ferring, Worthing, Lancing and Shoreham Beach
  17 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2026 7.8 km
• Areas at risk of groundwater flooding in Patcham including Old London Road, parts of Church Hill and Mill Road where they meet the A23 and the Recreation Ground
  24 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Mar 2026 9.3 km
• Areas at risk of groundwater flooding in Patcham including Old London Road, parts of Church Hill and Mill Road where they meet the A23 and the Recreation Ground
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Feb 2014 9.3 km
• Coastal areas of Rustington, Ferring, Worthing and Lancing
  no warning on record since 2006 9.6 km

Recorded floods near Shoreham-by-Sea

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of Shoreham-by-Sea, 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 — SOMPTING 1980 Main river
• 25 Nov 1976 — LANCING 1976 Drainage
• 11 Nov 1976 — PORTSLADE BY SEA 1976 Other
• 23 Nov 1974 — LANCING 1974 Drainage
• 1 Nov 1960 — SHOREHAM BY SEA Drainage
• 1 Nov 1960 — Lancing 1960 Drainage

Rainfall near Shoreham-by-Sea

Shoreham-by-Sea gets about 862 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 103 mm; driest May, 49 mm). That is 26% 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 (7.2 km away), recorded 4.2 mm in the last 24 hours and 93.1 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 36 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in Shoreham-by-Sea

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

High likelihood (26)

Medium likelihood (11)

Low likelihood (57)

Very low likelihood (17)

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.