Heavy rain and snowmelt at the start of January caused significant river and surface water flooding across much of England, with record river levels on the Mersey in Stockport and South Manchester.  

While 25 flood alerts are currently in place, minor river flooding is possible, but not expected, in parts of Northern England on Monday and Tuesday. Local residents should stay informed by following local advice. The overall flood risk for England is forecast to be very low for the next five days.

Despite the recent flooding, Environment Agency teams have protected over 83,000 properties in the past week. Sadly, 2,600 properties are reported to have flooded. The Environment Agency continues to monitor water levels and support affected communities, operating flood defences and managing water basins.  

Dane Broomfield, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, emphasized the efforts of their teams in protecting properties and expressed sympathy for those affected. He reiterated the low flood risk forecast for the next five days, with only a slight possibility of minor impacts early in the week. He confirmed ongoing support for communities and the continued operation of flood defences.

The public is advised to check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings, and stay updated on the situation, including following @EnvAgency on X.

Lessons learned from these floods will inform the work of the new Flood Resilience Taskforce. This taskforce, composed of representatives from various government departments, agencies, and organizations, aims to accelerate the development of flood defenses and improve national resilience to extreme weather.