Flood Alert Issued for Lower River Ems in Hampshire and West Sussex
This alert is no longer in effect.
Environment Agency issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this Environment Agency flood warning directly from Environment Agency's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert for the Lower River Ems, warning of high water levels affecting Hampshire and West Sussex following weeks of heavy rainfall.
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- Record type
- Flood Alert
- Affected area
- Hampshire and West Sussex
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- Environment Agency
Flood notices turn on location and timing. Treat the named area as this record's scope; do not assume nearby counties, parishes, or waterways were included.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Hampshire and West Sussex.
Alert Details
The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert for the Lower River Ems within the Solent and South Downs area. This alert (ID: 065WAF411) was raised on February 22, 2026, at 1:26 PM following weeks of persistent rainfall that has left river levels high.
Affected Areas
The alert covers the Lower River Ems region spanning Hampshire and West Sussex. Specific areas currently seeing minor flood impacts include fields, Brook Meadows, rural roads, and gardens. Residents in Westbourne and Emsworth are advised to remain vigilant.
What You Should Do
Residents in the affected areas, particularly in Westbourne and Emsworth, should consider activating any flood protection products they may have. Because flooding may occur quickly, it is important to monitor local conditions. The Environment Agency is currently monitoring the situation, operating the structure at Constant Springs, and clearing debris screens to mitigate risk.
Expected Conditions
The River Ems remains high. A small amount of light rain—less than 5mm—is expected on Sunday morning, which is likely to cause only a minimal rise in river levels. While rain is predicted to clear by Sunday afternoon, river levels are expected to remain higher than normal for several weeks. Only isolated showers are predicted from Monday through Friday.
Timeline
The alert is currently in effect as of February 22, 2026. Rain is expected to clear the area on Sunday afternoon. River levels are projected to begin a slow decline starting Tuesday, February 24, 2026. However, unsettled weather may continue throughout February, potentially leading to further periods of flood risk. This message will be updated by 8:00 PM on February 23, 2026.
Original source: Environment Agency Official Notice ↗
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