Flood Warning Issued for Lower Avon from Ringwood to Christchurch
This alert is no longer in effect.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 warning for the Lower Avon, affecting parts of Hampshire and Dorset as river levels remain high with more rain forecast.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Flood Warning
- Affected area
- Lower Avon (Hampshire and Dorset)
- 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 Lower Avon (Hampshire and Dorset).
Alert Details
The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Warning (Severity Level 2) for the Lower Avon. This alert indicates that flooding is expected and immediate action may be required. The warning was officially raised at 12:08 PM on February 15, 2026.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the Lower Avon from Ringwood to Christchurch. Specific locations identified as being at the highest risk include:
- Bickerley
- Ringwood
- The B3347 from Christchurch to Stony Lane in Christchurch
Impacted local authorities include Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset Council, and Hampshire within the Wessex area.
What You Should Do
Residents in the affected areas are advised to take the following precautions:
- Continue using any available flood protection products.
- Activate and follow your personal or business flood plan.
- Avoid walking, cycling, or driving through flood water.
- Safety Note: Do not attempt to drive through flood water; as little as 30cm of fast-flowing water is sufficient to move a vehicle.
Expected Conditions
River levels on the River Avon remain high due to a combination of recent heavy rainfall and high groundwater levels. The current weather outlook remains unsettled, with additional rainfall forecast throughout the day. This further precipitation is expected to cause river levels to rise further. The Environment Agency is closely monitoring the situation.
Timeline
This alert was issued on February 15, 2026, and remains in effect. The Environment Agency expects to provide an update by 1:00 PM on February 16, 2026, or sooner if the situation changes significantly.
Original source: Environment Agency Official Notice ↗
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Common questions about this Environment Agency flood warning.