The Rapid Flood Guidance service returns

Following a successful trial in 2024, the Rapid Flood Guidance (RFG) service will return for summer 2025.

The 2025 service will run between 2 June and 17 October 2025.

As in 2024, the 2025 service will provide:

• an advisory badge on the front page of the Flood Guidance Statement (FGS) for days when there is a heightened risk of rapid flooding
• RFG updates – issued on heightened risk days

FFC Hydrometeorology Services Manager Aly Black said:

I’m excited that the Rapid Flood Guidance service is returning in June – with improvements based on last year’s successful trial.  The FFC is committed to working with our responder community to mitigate surface water flood risk. I encourage all our users to make sure they are signed up to this summer’s service – and to start thinking how the RFG might fit into operational decision making should it become a permanent service.  

Sign up now or amend your preferences through your Flood Guidance Statement account.

Service improvements

The 2025 service will include improvements based on user feedback from the trial.  These include:

• the ability to sign up to receive the RFG for local authority areas (rather than regions) – providing a more tailored service
• clearer mapping – so that the location of the risk area can be more easily identified
• more consistent written content – improving clarity
• amendments to the threshold for RFG issue – meaning that there will be fewer RFGs when there are no or minor impacts
• faster production – so that there is more time to respond
• a more reliable SMS service – ensuring the RFG is available on all mobile devices

Getting prepared for the 2025 service

If you signed up for the 2024 trial, you:

• are already registered for the 2025 service
• will be automatically registered for the local authority areas relating to the regions you were signed up for in 2024
• are advised to check and revise your preferences if necessary

Check and amend your preferences through your Flood Guidance Statement account

If you are a new user, you can sign up now to:

• receive the RFG by Email and text message (optional)
• set your preferences so you get RFGs that are relevant to you

By signing up you will join over 1,700 responders already making use of the service.

Sign up now through your Flood Guidance Statement account.

The RFG can also be accessed (without email or text notifications) through the Met Office’s Hazard Manager.

Finding out more

You can find out more about the service:

• in the Rapid Flood Guidance service user guide
• at a drop in webinar – details will be sent to signed up users in advance of the launch date

Providing your views on future development

The development of the RFG service has been informed by extensive user research, including the 2024 trial.

During 2025 we will continue to work with our users by:

• inviting you to share feedback with the FFC
• developing case studies where there have been significant or severe rapid flooding impacts

Part of a wider investment in improved forecasting

The RFG service is part of the Surface Water Flood Forecasting Improvement Project (SWFFIP) which is:

• a  Defra and Environment Agency SR21 funded initiative
• contributing to Defra’s Surface water management action plan – July 2018
• implemented by the Met Office and Environment Agency through the FFC

Rapid Flood Guidance makes use of new convective weather forecasting (nowcasting) capability from the Met Office’s Expert Weather Hub  – combined with information from the FFC’s hydrometeorologists.