Thursday: Flood watch - 40 warnings in place across North Yorkshire
It follows heavy rain from Storm Christoph
Last updated 22nd Jan 2021
Parts of North Yorkshire remain on flood alert this morning (Thursday, 21 January) as more heavy rain battered parts of the county overnight.
Over 40 warnings are in place - around York, Northallerton, Thirsk, Pickering, Skipton, Boroughbridge, Ripon and Masham - to name a few.
Latest updates
6.15pm City of York Council is urging people to stay at home and only make essential journeys
Many roads in the city have been affected by high river levels and surface water.
They are:
• Clementhorpe – closed at Terry Avenue junction.
• Main Street Nether Poppleton – Closed
• Naburn Lane – Closed
• Acaster Lane – Acaster Malbis - Closed
• Skeldergate – Closed – Bus services will be diverted via Tower Street
• Knavesmire Rd – Closed
• Huntington Rd (South of Haley’s Terrace) – to be closed today at Iron Overbridge
• Fordlands Rd – Closed later today
• Bishopthorpe Rd near Crematorium – one lane closed later today - observe traffic management.
• A19 Fulford – Defences in place - Traffic Management to be deployed.
• Tower Street – Defences in place.
Cycle/Pedestrian Routes
• Riverside paths across city /Terry Avenue - Closed
• Millennium bridge (pedestrians/cyclists) –closed – Please do not walk/cycle through flood water.
• City Mills bridge (access to City Mills Sheltered housing on Skeldergate) in place.
5.35pm 130 homes offered evacuation in York as river level set to peak.
Around 130 homes at risk of flooding have been offered evacuation to a covid-safe hotel as the River Ouse continues to rise.
Residents around Clementhorpe and Peckitt Street have been contacted by City of York Council and offered the option of being evacuated to a hotel, going to stay with friends or family to create a new bubble, or stay in their homes.
The River Ouse is predicted to peak at 4.76 metres above normal level between 2am and 4am tomorrow morning, Friday.
The flood barriers are expected to hold.
The evacuation plan is a “precautionary measure”, Neil Ferris from the council said.
5.02pm Flood alerts are in place on the Rivers Foss and Ouse.
The Foss has burst its banks at several locations, flooding fields and some roads.
Our reporter Ben Fearn has been reporting from Huntington, Strensall and Heworth.
4.43pm Flood warnings and alerts in place across York and North Yorkshire this evening.
The rain has eased off but we're being reminded to only travel if essential.
4.25pm After the rain, there's a warning for ice tonight.
3.10pm Flooding at Linton Locks near York, where the River Ouse has burst its banks
2.30pm No trains between York and Leeds for the rest of the day.
Chris Jackson, Regional Director at Northern, said:
“The past couple of days have been really difficult and I’m grateful for the patience and understanding our customers have shown so far.
“I’m going to have to ask everyone to be patient a little longer as we continue to work with colleagues from Network Rail to help the railway recover from the extreme weather and return normal services in all areas.
“In the meantime I would ask anyone who has to make an essential journey by rail to allow extra time for travel and to check carefully before setting off.”
2.13pm There's flooding on some roads in York and North Yorkshire. This is Huntington Road near Heworth:
1.55pm A reminder to stay away from rivers as water levels remain very high
1.26pm Police drone footage shows flooding around the River Foss, north of York city centre
12.55pm: More worrying images - these were taken in Malton.
They show the Lower Castlegate area of town badly affected by the River Derwent.
12.50pm: These images were taken earlier today - it shows the level of flooding in York:
12.25pm: Alarming images of the River Foss, north of York city centre:
12.05pm: Thirsk birds of prey centre and Kirby Wiske village is completely cut off by flood water.
Centre staff have waded in to the village to be able to ensure that all the birds at the centre are safe:
12pm: Disruption on our roads continues.
Flooding or surface water is causing a few problems across many routes in North Yorkshire:
11.50am: City of York is working with officials from the Environment Agency, Met Office and Yorkshire Water in monitoring the situation across the Vale of York:
11.30am: Levels of the River Ouse continue to rise - they're not expected to peak until the early hours of the morning.
Currently, it's predicted they'll reach between 4.4 metres and 4.8 metres.
11.20am: Pumps have been in action in Tadcaster.
Fire crews have been helping pump water from Kirby Wharfe away from homes.
A local flood barrier has been deployed to hold back rising water levels.
10.55am: Updates on the buses:
10.34am: City of York Council has taken immediate action to support residents, following an Environment Agency flood warning issued on the River Foss
River Foss levels are predicated to peak at 2.6m in the next few hours this is therefore a rapidly changing situation
Councillor Paula Widdowson, Executive Member for the Environment on City of York said:
“We want to reassure everyone that the Foss Barrier is working as designed. The issue is heavy rain in the upper basin is causing upper river levels to rise.
“We anticipate less than 100 properties will be impacted mostly in gardens and outbuildings but there remains a risk water may entering some properties. We are have teams located to monitor the situation with particular focus on the situation in the Strensall to Yearsley baths area the area around Brandon Grove and the communities around Tang Hall Beck and will respond as required.
“The advice at this time is evacuation is not necessary, please stay in your home where safe to do so. We are visiting properties and door knocking anyone who might be directly affected and providing sand bags.
“We will be holding a special Facebook live tonight (Thursday, 21 January) between 5 and 6pm to help answer residents questions about flooding, flood defences, how to prepare and what support is available.”
This morning, council officers have inspected all the streets identified at risk by the Environment Agency and have spoken to some residents and there are currently no properties of concern. James Street Travellers site is unaffected and we are have arranged a welfare visit
The Environment Agency is advising that the situation should not deteriorate significantly and the water will go down as the peak works its way to the barrier, which is working.
10.30am: Our reporter Ben Fearn has been down to the River Foss where river levels are extremely high.
City of York Council officers are in the Huntington area to help residents and deploy sand bags:
10.20am: Over 40 flood warnings and a dozen flood alerts are still in place.
9.55am: It's a message we've heard all too often but emergency services are continuing to remind people not to drive into flood waters - we're told, drivers and passengers will be rescued but cars will not be recovered.
9.40am: Environment Agency continues to monitor the situation across North Yorkshire:
9.20am: Images show the River Nidd in Knaresborough hasn't breached its banks.
There are some relieved business and home owners this morning following more heavy rain overnight.
8.30am: The Askham Bar vaccination centre in York is facing minor disruption due to the rain and flooding.
Nimbuscare, the company behind dishing out the jabs here, is reviewing the ongoing situation and is currently working with partners in ensuring people booked in will still get their vaccination:
8.25am: There are plenty of roads around the county affected by flooding:
8.20am: Many roads around the county are flooded or are facing issues with surface water .
These images are from Malton:
In York, the flood gates remain closed.
The River Ouse is expected to peak today (Thursday, 21 January) and there are fears it could reach over 5 metres.
On the River Foss, the Environment Agency now has flood warning in place - with around 95 properties between Strensall and Huntington now at risk of flooding.
The City of York Council is going door to door in the Huntington area informing people of the risks of flooding and to be prepared.
For the latest from the Environment Agency and what warnings are in place, click here.