National Flood Resilience Strategy: implementation report 2021 - 2025

Annex A – Notable flood events

• 28 October 2021 - significant impacts of flooding in many parts of Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders and Tayside and Angus. The River Nith in Dumfries flooded and impacted business around the Whitesands. In Annan, two historic footbridges were washed away as water levels on the River Annan hit a 50-year high. A major incident was declared in Hawick where 500 properties were threatened.
• 17/18 November 2022 - The East of Scotland was affected by severe flooding with over 100mm of rain recorded in 48h across Aberdeen and Angus. The main communities affected by flooding were in Ballater and Brechin with streets and properties flooded loss of power and evacuation of residents. There were also wider impacts across communities and the transport network in the Lothian, Fife and Tayside.
• 30 December 2022 - Flooding affected South and Central Scotland, with the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service elevating the flood risk elevated to Red along the River Nith in their daily Flood Guidance Statement and a Severe Flood Warning issued in Whitesands in Dumfries. The River Nith reached its highest level over a 40-year period of record and widespread flooding impacts on communities, and the transport network were experienced.
• 6-9 and 18-23 October 2023 - Exceptional flooding was experienced in Scotland in October, with two consecutive periods of intense and prolonged rainfall on 6-9 October and then 18-23 October (Storm Babet) resulting in severe impacts, with extensive flooding of communities, multiple properties evacuations and impacts on infrastructures with in particular the overtopping of Brechin flood defences. There were record flows along the North and South Esk rivers in North East Scotland, and subsequently the Met Office National Climate Information Centre calculated that 19th October 2023 was the wettest day for the county of Angus in a series from 1891.
• 27-28 December 2023. Storm Gerrit affected many parts of southern and central Scotland on 27-28 December, with disruption due to a combination of heavy rain, gale force wind and snow. 17 regional Flood Alerts and over 30 local Flood Warnings were issued by SEPA There were significant surface water disruption on the transport network (A82, A96, A9, A90 closed and train cancellations). Significant flooding was also experienced in Cupar, Fife and across Fife and Perthshire.
• 2023 and January 2024 was marked by long and repeated periods of unsettled weather reflected a record number of alerts and warnings issued by SEPA, and the 10 named storms issued by the Met Office (Why have there been so many storms in the UK this year? | Official blog of the Met Office news team).
• 6-8 April 2024 - Storm Kathleen and a period of high spring tide brought coastal disruption affecting the Western Isles and Orkney in particular.
• 23-24 May 2024 - Heavy and persistent rainfall affected the Lothian and Borders, resulting in widespread travel disruption, including the closure of the A720 Edinburgh City bypass due to surface water flooding. Sandbags and flood barriers were deployed in Musselburgh and a caravan park was evacuated in Peebles along the Eddleston Water.
• 17-21 October 2024 - Storm Ashley coincided with a period of high spring tides combined with high winds and resulted in coastal flooding. Widespread disruption to travel were experienced on the west coast and western isles (air, road, sea and rail), with reports of coastal flooding at locations including Fort William and Tobermory.
• 29-31 December 2024 - Preparations for Hogmanay were disrupted by severe flooding in northern and central Scotland, affecting in particular the Spey valley, the Great Glen and the River Tay and River Forth catchments. Impacts included extensive disruption to the transport network with closure of railway lines, flooding of the A9 and many local roads and access to properties. SEPA issued over 50 local Flood Warnings and 3 Severe Flood Warnings in Aviemore and Carbridge.30–31 December 2024 / early January 2025 – New Year flooding in central and northern Scotland – Prolonged heavy rainfall combined with snowmelt led to significant flooding as 2025 began. SEPA issued multiple flood warnings across central and northern Scotland, with the greatest impacts in Perthshire, the Western Cairngorms and parts of the Great Glen. Communities including Aviemore, Crieff and Aberfeldy were affected, with floodwaters inundating roads, isolating properties and causing local evacuations. Emergency mapping was activated at national level due to the scale and potential risk to life, marking one of the most significant New Year flood events of recent years.
• 3–4 October 2025 – Storm Amy – Storm Amy, the first named storm of the 2025/26 season, brought very strong winds and heavy rain to Scotland, with the worst impacts felt in the west and north. Wind gusts of 70–80 mph were widely recorded, with locally higher gusts in coastal and upland areas. Heavy rainfall (30–50 mm, locally more) caused surface water and river flooding, fallen trees and widespread disruption to transport infrastructure, including rail services, ferries and flights. More than 40,000 properties lost power in Scotland, and several buildings were damaged by high winds, particularly in the Central Belt and Highland areas.
• January 2025 – Storm Éowyn and widespread river flooding – Storm Éowyn brought extremely strong winds and heavy rainfall to much of Scotland, particularly the Highlands, western and central regions. Gusts of up to 90 mph were recorded in exposed areas, alongside 40–60 mm of rain over a short period. Severe river flooding affected parts of the Western Cairngorms and Speyside, with Aviemore particularly impacted as the River Spey overtopped its banks, flooding roads, businesses and residential areas. Transport networks were severely disrupted, schools closed across large areas, and tens of thousands of properties experienced power outages.