Somerset Council

Important information and safety tips for staying safe during Storm Darragh

MET Office map of the South West depicting a RED weather warning.Image courtesy of the MET Office

The Met Office is warning of severe adverse weather in Somerset over the next 24 hours.

  • A Red warning for wind is in place from 3am to 11am on Saturday for north coastal regions of the county, with wind speeds up to 90mph possible. Red is the highest level of alert and means there is a possible danger to life.
  • An Amber warning is in place from 1am to 9pm on Saturday across all of Somerset, with wind speeds of up to 60 to 65mph.

Police are advising essential travel only in Red and Amber areas. If you have to travel, please leave more time and check National Highways' Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) pages and @TravelSomerset on Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) pages for the latest updates on road closures.

Some rain is also expected this evening – it's not expected to be extreme. There's currently 1 flood warning in place for Curry Moor and Hay Moor on the Levels and a number of alerts in place, but it's possible this may change over the weekend.

To monitor the situation in your area, visit GOV.UK's Flood alerts and warnings page for Somerset.

Key messages and advice

  • Only travel in the Amber and Red areas if your journey is essential. If you must travel, allow more time and check the conditions before you leave.
  • Residents should take steps to secure any outside furniture and decorations, such as Christmas decorations, this evening. Flying debris can cause injuries and damage.
  • Keep aware from coastal areas. High waves are expected during the severe weather period, and this can be extremely dangerous close to the shore.
  • Events are being cancelled over the weekend. Please check before setting off.
  • Keep an eye on weather forecasts for your area as they can change.

Flooding and roads

Heavy rain and flooding present a potential danger to drivers – road users are urged NOT to attempt to drive across flooded roads as it's not possible to estimate the depth of the water reliably. 

It’s vital to prepare for wet conditions if you have to travel and to proceed with extreme caution if you get caught in flood conditions – you can find information and advice via Somerset Road Safety's Adverse Weather page.
 
If you spot a problem with a drain or gully or any issue on the highway, you can report it easily and quickly via our Report a problem on the road page.

What to do during a flood

There's information to help you on what to do during a flood on the Somerset Prepared website. The key point is to always stay safe, in an immediate flood emergency or where there is a risk to life, follow the advice of the emergency services.

How to report 

If you've been affected by flooding, report it online at swim.geowessex.com/somerset and email flooding@somerset.gov.uk so we can gather information about flood prone areas.