HomeUK Storms › Storm Babet
Archive Cat 4 · Severe

Storm Babet

18–22 October 2023 · 2023-24 season · named by Met Office · Scotland, England

115 mphmax gust
864flood warnings & alerts
7UK deaths
A predominantly rainfall-driven storm that triggered a rare red rain warning for eastern Scotland, causing catastrophic river flooding in Angus (over 330 homes evacuated in Brechin as the South Esk breached defences) plus major flooding in Aberdeenshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire.

Flood footprintstorm total

5severe warnings
552flood warnings
307flood alerts
743areas
118counties
356rivers & seas

Worst-hit areas

  • Lower River Derwent3
  • North Sea at Sandsend3
  • North Sea coast at Bridlington3
  • North Sea coast at Bridlington - Harbour Road and Floral Pavilion3
  • North Sea coast from Staithes to Whitby including tidal River Esk3
  • River Idle at Retford, Eaton and Gamston3

Counties

  • Derbyshire133
  • Nottinghamshire82
  • North Yorkshire69
  • Lincolnshire64
  • Staffordshire62
  • Worcestershire58

Rivers & seas

  • River Derwent49
  • River Trent44
  • River Severn33
  • River Don27
  • North Sea24
  • River Weaver17

Flood mapthe storm's flood footprint

Red/amber rings mark rivers that reached or came close to their own high level during the storm — the most direct evidence of likely flooding (the gauge measures the river, not any one property). Solid dots mark each flood area's reference point, coloured by the most severe warning raised there — a warning means flooding was expected. Shaded shapes are the Environment Agency's recorded flood outlines: land actually observed flooded, published retrospectively (updated quarterly). England data only.

The rainstorm-total by gauge

GaugeTotal mm
Dancers End 331.0
Ebworth 184.8
Redmires 176.6
Wakefield 148.6
Dore 136.6
Ringinglow 135.8
Barbrook 132.0
Goldscleugh 131.2
Maltby 128.4
Sutton-In-Ashfield 127.8
Rothbury 124.4
Langsett 124.2

The riverspeak vs warning level

StationPeak% of warning
Hexham Tanners Row Downstream · Cockshaw Burn 0.14 m 467%
Prestbury Road · Wymans Brook 0.20 m 400%
Acomb Garden House · Birkey Burn 0.61 m 389%
Dutlas · River Teme 2.19 m 365%
Sheffield Station · Porter Brook 1.09 m 363%
Hunsingore · River Nidd 2.41 m 344%
Weetwood Bridge · River Till 3.57 m 316%
Wellesbourne · River Dene 1.11 m 307%
Wyre Piddle · Piddle Brook 1.93 m 303%
Skipton Eller Beck · Eller Beck 2.27 m 303%
Crabb Mill · Woodbridge Brook 2.02 m 298%
Goulceby · River Bain 1.02 m 291%

Gauge records cover 17–23 October 2023 (the storm window ± a day). Frozen 3 Jul 2026.

Storm Agnes All UK storms Storm Ciaran

FloodRadar compiles Environment Agency warning history, gauge data and public reporting. It is not an emergency service and does not replace official flood warnings — always follow official guidance during a storm.