Does Whitley Bay flood?

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

Ordnance Survey places 20 postcodes in Whitley Bay 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 79 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 Whitley Bay

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Whitley Bay watch Ouse Burn, North Sea.

• North Shields Tidal
  Tide · 5.0 km away 2.28 mAOD
  rises and falls with the tide · 49 min ago
• Gosforth
  Ouse Burn · 8.7 km away 0.50 m
  normal range · just past its peak · 34 min ago
• Crag Hall
  Ouse Burn · 8.9 km away 0.34 m
  normal range · just past its peak · 34 min ago
• Blyth Tidal
  North Sea · 9.4 km away 2.32 mAOD
  rises and falls with the tide · 49 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Whitley Bay'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 Whitley Bay

10 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Whitley Bay. The EA has issued 176 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 25 Oct 2026.

• Properties at Fish Market, Bell Street, Dolphin Quay, Union Quay, Clive Street, Duke Street, Liddell Street, Corporation Quay, South Shields Ferry Landing, Wapping Street, Tyne Dock, Albert Edward Dock, Tyne Foyboatmen Association and Howdon Pans
  18 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2026 5.0 km
• Properties including Whitley Sands Refreshment Kiosk, Robinson Crusoe's Cafe at Tynemouth Longsands, Tynemouth Sailing Club and the area at Cullercoats Bay around the Lifeboat Station and the Dove Marine Laboratory
  52 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Aug 2024 5.3 km
• Properties at Willington Boat Club, Wincomblee Estates in Walker, Newcastle Quayside from Wetherspoon's Pub to Broad Chare, Brama Teams Industrial Park, Ravensworth Road and Clockwork MOT at Clockmill Road
  6 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2024 8.3 km
• Tyne estuary from Wylam to the North Sea coast, including Watergate Car Park at Newcastle Quayside
  77 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2026 8.7 km
• Properties around Easedale Avenue, Melton Park, The Fairway, Bridge Park, Fencer Court, Charleswood, Burnside Road, Whitebridge Walk, Celandine Close, and Killingworth Road
  no warning on record since 2006 8.7 km
• Ouseburn, its tributaries and north bank tributaries of the Tyne estuary
  20 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Apr 2024 8.9 km
• Properties around Acomb Crescent, Milford Gardens, Princes Road including Princes Close, Waterbury Road, The Fairway, Burnside Road, Saxilby Drive, Whitebridge Parkway, Charleswood, Fernwood Avenue, Briarwood Avenue, South Gosforth and Jesmond Vale
  no warning on record since 2006 9.4 km
• Properties located on roads and streets adjacent to Crawford Street, Hodgsons Road, Croft Road, Regent Street, Union Street, Bridge Street and Princess Louise Road
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Dec 2013 9.5 km
• Properties at Blyth Quayside and around Battleship Wharf, Wordsell Street and Dale Street in North Blyth, and properties around West Bridge Street and Selbourne Terrace in Cambois
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Dec 2013 9.5 km
• Properties around Willowbay Drive, Glamis Avenue, Briarwood Avenue, Killingworth Road, North Lodge, and Jesmond Vale
  no warning on record since 2006 9.9 km

Recorded floods near Whitley Bay

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of Whitley Bay, 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 — Tynemouth Long Sands Sea
• 5 Dec 2013 — North and South Shields Sea
• 5 Dec 2013 — Cullercoats Bay Sea
• 5 Dec 2013 — King Edwards Bay Sea
• 5 Dec 2013 — Prior's Haven Sea
• 28 Jun 2012 — Seaton Delaval in June 2012 - SW Drainage
• 10 Jul 2008 — Earsdon
• 30 Jun 2007 — Seaton Delaval Sewer
• 1 Oct 1976 — Seaton Burn Main river
• 1 Jan 1900 — North Shields Main river
• 1 Jan 1900 — South Shields Main river

Rainfall near Whitley Bay

Whitley Bay gets about 675 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 76 mm; driest March, 41 mm). That is 42% drier than the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 0.4 km from the place centre.

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (2.5 km away), recorded 5.6 mm in the last 24 hours and 28.2 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 34 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in Whitley Bay

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

High likelihood (4)

Medium likelihood (1)

Low likelihood (15)

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.