Prepare for flooding and damaging winds from Storm Darragh

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is asking people to be vigilant and prepared this weekend as heavy rainfall and potentially damaging winds from Storm Darragh are set to have significant impacts in Wales.

While most of Wales will see heavy rainfall and could see flood impacts, significant flooding is possible in areas of south Wales tomorrow and into Sunday.

While rainfall totals are not expected to be as high as those experienced during Storm Bert, further heavy rain experienced in Wales this week means the ground is very saturated and rivers could rise quickly. Some rivers will also contain debris yet to be removed following Storm Bert which could heighten flood risk. 

An amber warning for rain is in place for southern parts of Wales from 3am – 6pm on Saturday.

The Met Office has also issued a red warning for winds spanning the western and southern Wales coastline from 3am-11am Saturday with an amber warning for wind in place from 1am until 9pm Saturday.

All of NRW’s visitor centres, woodlands, trails and car parks will be closed on Saturday due to the risk to public safety. 

While coastal flood impacts are not currently expected, we’re urging people to remain vigilant. Keep away from seafronts and promenades due to the risks posed by the expected large waves triggered by the storm force winds.

People are being urged to consider any steps they may need to take now to be prepared.

• Register for NRW’s free flood warning service at wales/flooding or by calling Floodline on  0345 988 1188.

• Check the flood warning pages on NRW’s website for local Flood Alerts and Flood Warnings. These pages are updated every 15mins. 

• Think about how you can prepare your home and business now. Move valuables and vehicles to a higher location and think about packing a flood kit. NRW’s website has a range of information on how people can prepare for flooding. 

Our officers have been out in communities across Wales, preparing our sites and checking and making repairs to any flood defences impacted by Storm Bert to make sure they are ready to reduce any future flood risk.

Our teams have also been working alongside the Flood Forecasting Centre and local authorities to prepare for this storm, monitoring forecasts and rainfall predictions and providing updates as confidence in the forecasts grows.

Flood alerts and warning will be issued by NRW as rivers reach trigger levels.

Becky Favager, Duty Tactical Manager Wales at Natural Resources Wales said:

“Storm Darragh is expected to have a significant impact in Wales. With rivers already swollen and with the ground so wet, we expect to see many flood alerts and warnings issued if rivers reach trigger levels during Storm Darragh.

“With red and amber wind weather warnings in place for large swathes of Wales for tomorrow, we’re closing all our visitor centres, woodlands, reserves and car parks for visitor safety. We’re also urging people to keep away from seafronts and promenades, as large waves could easily sweep people off their feet.   

“We’re urging people to be vigilant and to make preparations for potential flooding now. You can check if you live in an area at risk of flooding on our website and sign up for our free flood warning service.

“Our teams have been working around the clock over recent days and weeks, doing all they can to reduce the risk for communities and checking defences are in good working order following Storm Bert and ahead of Darragh’s arrival.

“If there is flooding we want to make sure people are doing all they can to keep themselves safe. We want to remind people to keep away from riverbanks and seafronts and do not to drive or walk through flood waters as you don’t know what lies beneath.

“Keep an eye on weather forecasts and visit our website for latest information on the flood warnings. You can find practical advice on flooding on our website too.”

Flood alerts and flood warnings are updated on the Natural Resources Wales website every 15 minutes and are available to view at www.naturalresources.wales/flooding  

Information and updates are also available by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188. 

As well as checking flood risk and signing up for warnings, people can also check our 5-day flood forecast for the local authority areas across Wales, and find practical advice on how to prepare for flooding, such as moving treasured possessions upstairs and having key items like important documents and medication easily to hand in a flood kit.