Flooding by nation
Flood warnings in Scotland: SEPA and Floodline
SEPA provides Scotland's flood information. Learn which messages cover your area, how a regional alert differs from a local warning and how to turn the information into a household plan.
Published: Updated:
Last checked: 8 November 2026 How we evaluate sources
Your next steps
Your flood-preparation checklist for Scotland
- Read SEPA’s three-day forecast and the local detail in any current alerts or warnings.
- Register with Floodline. Plan for surface-water risks as well as river and coastal flooding.
- Agree safe routes and help before travelling becomes difficult; record them in the household flood plan.
Choose the right service
Flood warnings and services for Scotland
This guide explains what to do. It does not display live flood conditions. The warning and mapping services below open in a new tab, so you can return to your plan.
Start with SEPA's live information and three-day forecast
SEPA's flooding service brings together live messages, the Scottish Flood Forecast, water-level information and flood maps. Use current messages for an unfolding incident and the three-day forecast to prepare for possible disruption.
Read the location and timing within a warning. If you are checking on somebody elsewhere in Scotland, use their location as well as your own. A journey can cross areas with different conditions.
Flood alerts and flood warnings in Scotland are different
A SEPA flood alert covers a broad geographical area and can relate to different sources of flooding, including surface water. A flood warning covers a smaller area where flooding is expected.
A severe flood warning indicates danger to life. Treat the detailed instructions as the priority. The absence of a warning for your street is not proof that conditions are safe.
- At alert stage, check what the message means for your household and planned travel.
- At warning stage, act on your flood plan while there is a safe opportunity.
- At severe-warning stage, follow responders' instructions and seek emergency help if needed.
Read SEPA's explanation of warning levels (opens in a new tab)
Register with Floodline, even outside a local warning area
Enter your location during registration to see which service is available. Where SEPA has a local warning service, you can receive targeted messages. Elsewhere you may be able to receive broader regional flood alerts.
Online registration requires an email address. If you need help or cannot register online, call Floodline on 0345 988 1188. Check the contact instructions on SEPA's registration page and keep your details current.
Use Scotland's flood maps before you need them
The flood maps help you explore risk around a place. Use them during planning, then check current warnings when weather deteriorates. Treat a map as a starting point for questions about your home and routes, not permission to enter an affected area.
Write down the places that matter to your household: home, school, work, a care visit and a place to stay. This gives your plan a practical purpose beyond checking one postcode.
Plan for disrupted travel and access to help
A household can be affected even if water never reaches its front door. Think through a missed care visit, a cancelled journey or difficulty collecting a prescription. Decide who you would call and what you can organise ahead of time.
SEPA's preparation guidance links to Scottish travel services and the Scottish Flood Forum. Check transport operators and local advice before setting out; never assume a familiar route is passable during flooding.
See SEPA's preparation and travel resources (opens in a new tab)
Your next 20 minutes: make the warning useful
If you share a building, talk through the entrance and escape arrangements with the people responsible for it. The aim is to make the first few decisions in advance, while there is time to ask questions.
- Check which Floodline messages cover your home and another location you regularly rely on.
- Write down who will check warnings and who will contact relatives or neighbours.
- Agree a safer place to meet and a backup if the normal journey cannot be made.
- Gather essentials and record care, medicine and communication needs in your household plan.
Questions about flooding in Scotland
Does Floodline cover every address in Scotland with a local warning?
No. Registration checks the service available for your location. Some places have targeted flood warnings; elsewhere a broader regional alert may be available.
Can SEPA flood alerts include surface-water flooding?
Yes. SEPA says its regional alerts can cover all sources of flooding, including surface water. A regional alert is different from a smaller local warning area.
Who should I call for help signing up?
SEPA directs people who need registration assistance to Floodline on 0345 988 1188. Use 999 or 112 instead if someone is in immediate danger.
Make your next step practical
Keep preparing
Evidence and service information
Sources behind this guidance
We develop our guidance using the sources below. Check the named organisation for current service details, live warnings and local instructions. Sources checked 8 November 2026.