Flood Alert Issued for River Kennet Between Thatcham and Reading
This alert is no longer in effect.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 River Kennet, warning of high water levels and potential flooding of low-lying land and roads between Newbury and Reading.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Flood Alert
- Affected area
- Thames Region
- 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 Thames Region.
Alert Details
The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert for the River Kennet, specifically the stretch from Thatcham down to Reading. The alert was officially raised on the morning of February 20, 2026, following a rise in river levels.
Affected Areas
The geographic scope of this alert includes regions within Reading, West Berkshire, and Wokingham. Specific locations at risk of flooding include:
- Newbury
- Theale
- Calcot
- Low-lying land and roads adjacent to the River Kennet from Thatcham to Reading.
What You Should Do
Residents and commuters in the affected areas are advised to take the following actions:
- Avoid using low-lying footpaths and roads near rivers, as these areas may already be flooded.
- Monitor local weather reports and current river conditions.
- Visit the River Levels Online service for real-time updates on water levels in your area.
Expected Conditions
River levels are currently high on the River Kennet from Newbury down to Reading. Flooding of low-lying land and roads is expected today, February 20, 2026. The forecast predicts predominantly light rain over the next 48 hours, though periods of heavy rain are possible. Officials expect river levels to remain high and sensitive to any additional rainfall over the coming days.
Timeline
This alert is effective as of February 20, 2026. The Environment Agency is monitoring rainfall and river levels continuously. An update to this alert is expected by 12:00 PM on February 21, 2026, or sooner if the situation changes.
Original source: Environment Agency Official Notice ↗
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Common questions about this Environment Agency flood warning.