Previsico reviews Storm Claudia flood event that caused serious flooding across England and Wales
- Written by
Lauren Legate
Storm Claudia has left a significant mark on parts of the UK, bringing intense and prolonged rainfall, widespread flooding, and major disruption. Originally named by the Spanish Meteorological Agency, the storm has tracked into the UK, triggering amber warnings in England and Wales for heavy rain, and prompting alerts from the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales.
Some areas were warned they could receive the equivalent of a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours, especially given that much of the ground was already saturated.
Natural Resources Wales warned that flooding could be life-threatening, especially near swollen rivers. High streets were submerged, leaving shops and pubs facing months of repairs, while communities pulled together to clear homes and support displaced residents. Transport was heavily disrupted too, with flooded roads, cancelled trains, and power outages adding to the chaos.
Monmouthshire in particular has received a lot of coverage in the news due to its devastating flooding from the River Monnow bursting its banks, leading to evacuations and rescues across the area. Although pluvial flooding (surface water) is more common in the UK, river flooding can clearly still significantly impact for people and businesses.
Flood impact and Previsico's forecast
At Previsico, our flood forecasting model sent out alerts to customers across the UK to warn them of impeding flooding. In our dashboard we showed depths reaching 3m in some small waterways.
Our water-level sensors also sent out alerts across England and Wales, providing customers with real-time data of their sites exposure to rising water levels.
Monmouth was not the only town in Wales affected, Abergavenny also received heavy rainfall, causing flooding of roads and houses.
Social media sources indicated that Abergavenny suffered severe flooding throughout the course of Storm Claudia. In one instance, a Tesco located on Frogmore Street suffered flooding as shown in the image below.
The flooding impacts were therefore accurately forecasted by Previsico.
Outside of Wales, flooding was reported in Herefordshire, Birmingham, Greater Manchester, the Midlands and Hertfordshire etc. Previsico’s forecast for flooding at the Temple Bar Inn in Herefordshire has been confirmed by photos from the scene.
Storm Claudia has shown just how exposed many communities are to extreme weather, with flooding that overwhelmed roads, homes, and local infrastructure. As we move further into an already active storm season, its impacts highlight the urgent need for stronger resilience and better preparation.