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DHazard risk Grade
Flood & hazards in West Molesey · Environment Agency

More of West Molesey’s homes are at high or medium flood risk than in 93% of UK towns: 7.2%, from rivers or the sea

On the Environment Agency’s maps, which allow for flood defences, “high or medium” means at least a 1 in 100 chance of flooding from rivers or the sea in any year. West Molesey’s Hazard risk Grade is D: #55 of 65 in Surrey.

1968worst recorded flood17flood warnings since 200626%at low risk
In brief

What stands out about West Molesey’s hazards

From the Environment Agency’s maps and records and the BGS radon atlas, below.

A river town7.2% of homes are at high or medium risk from rivers or the sea, more than 93% of UK towns.Remembers 1968Floodwater covered 431 hectares of today’s West Molesey in 1968; 9,733 of today’s households live inside past flood outlines.17 flood warnings since 2006For the parts of West Molesey the Environment Agency warns directly; the most recent on 6 January 2024.Low radonEvery 1 km square over West Molesey is in the lowest radon band: under 1% of homes above the action level.
By hazard

What West Molesey faces

Each hazard against its own yardstick; meters run from low to high on that yardstick.

Rivers and the sea

7.2%of homes at high or medium risk
More than the typical UK town · more than 93% of towns
1,517 homes by the EA’s own count

Surface water

5.5%of homes at high or medium risk
More than 73% of UK towns
Rivers and sea: 7.2%

Past floods

9years with a recorded flood
Last recorded: December 2013
9,733 households inside past outlines

The River Thames

0.43 mhighest in winter 2025–26 at Molesey Lock
13th-highest of 29 winters
Record 1.03 m, February 2014

Flood warnings

17flood warnings since 2006
179 flood alerts for the wider area
Last warning 6 January 2024

Radon

0%of the town in a radon Affected Area
Highest band here: Under 1% of homes
No square of 5% or more
Not on this page: coastal erosion, subsidence and shrink-swell ground (the British Geological Survey licenses it), groundwater flooding and reservoir failure.
Hazard risk Grade

West Molesey grades D for hazard risk

Flood risk from rivers and the sea, against all UK towns.

Homes at high or medium flood risk (7.2%)Fewer than 7% of UK towns

The share of homes at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea, ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more: fewer homes at risk is better. Towns with none at high or medium risk are ordered by their share at low risk, so they don’t all share one score. Surface water and radon aren’t graded: they are described below.

Flood map

Where the water goes in West Molesey

Turn layers on and off. Blue is the risk from rivers and the sea; pink is where heavy rain collects. Both allow for flood defences.

Recorded flood: 1947Recorded flood: 1968Recorded flood: 1974Recorded flood: 1979Recorded flood: 1988Recorded flood: 1990Recorded flood: 2000Recorded flood: 2002Recorded flood: 2013© OpenStreetMap contributors · EA NaFRA2
HighMediumLowrivers & seaHighMediumLowsurface waterWest Molesey’s built-up area

The river and sea risk follows the River Thames, the River Mole and the River Rythe. Surface-water risk is patchier: dips, underpasses and small streams.

Rivers and the sea

7.2% of West Molesey’s homes are at high or medium risk from rivers or the sea

The Environment Agency’s national map, allowing for defences. A further 26% are at low risk.

High risk3.5%of homes · 1 in 30 a year or more704 homes, EA count
Medium risk3.7%of homes · 1 in 30 to 1 in 100813 homes, EA count
Low risk26%of homes · 1 in 100 to 1 in 1,0004,992 homes, EA count
Where West Molesey sits among 3,735 UK towns
35%None
23%Under 0.5%
9%0.5–1%
11%1–2%
11%2–5%
5%5–10%West Molesey
3%10–20%
2%20% +

Share of each UK town’s homes at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea. 35% of UK towns have none; West Molesey has more than 93% of towns.

Towns its size: 156th of 159 from the fewest homes at risk
#TownPeopleHigh or med.
1Dudley West Midlands64,2770%
2Smethwick West Midlands56,3430%
3Bootle Merseyside53,7220%
…
154Canterbury Kent55,1075.5%
155Neath West Glamorgan40,7387.2%
156West Molesey Surrey47,1447.2%
157Tonbridge Kent36,1367.9%
158Exmouth Devon35,5029.8%
159Caversham Berkshire33,03813%

UK towns of 33,000 to 66,000 people.

The Environment Agency’s Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea (NaFRA2, June 2026) counts each postcode’s homes by band; the shares weight those postcodes by Census 2021 households. The EA counts include homes built since 2021.

Surface water

5.5% of West Molesey’s homes are at high or medium risk from surface water

Surface water is rain that falls faster than drains and the ground can take it. It is mapped separately from rivers and the sea, and it is not in the Hazard risk Grade.

Surface water5.5%
Rivers and the sea7.2%
0%17.5%35% of homes

About 2.8% of homes are at high risk of surface-water flooding (a 1 in 30 chance or more each year) and 2.7% at medium risk: roughly 1,040 households. A further 8.8% face a low risk from surface water. That is more than 73% of UK towns.

~1,040
households at high or medium risk
8.8%
of homes at low risk
73%
of UK towns have a smaller share
23,973
addresses read on the map

Our estimate: every address in the town (ONS NSUL) read on the Environment Agency’s Risk of Flooding from Surface Water map (NaFRA2, 2025), each postcode’s share weighted by its Census 2021 households. Neither agency publishes a count of homes for surface water, so treat it as a guide; one street can differ from the next.

Flood history

West Molesey has flooded in 9 recorded years since 1947, most of all in 1968

Every flood the Environment Agency has mapped inside West Molesey’s built-up area, newest first. The record is fullest for big river floods; small and surface-water floods are often missing.

  1. 2013November and December 2013: River flooding recorded12 hectares inside today’s built-up area
  2. 2002December 2002: River flooding recorded10 hectares inside today’s built-up area
  3. 2000October 2000: River flooding recorded5 hectares inside today’s built-up area
  4. 1990February 1990: River flooding recorded5 hectares inside today’s built-up area
  5. 1988January 1988: River flooding recorded2 hectares inside today’s built-up area
  6. 1979February 1979: River flooding recorded7 hectares inside today’s built-up area
Show all 9
  1. 1974November 1974: River flooding recorded19 hectares inside today’s built-up area
  2. 1968September 1968: River flooding recorded431 hectares inside today’s built-up area
  3. 1947March 1947: River flooding recorded82 hectares inside today’s built-up area
The worst: 1968431 ha

Floodwater covered 431 hectares of what is now West Molesey in 1968, the largest flood the record holds here (September).

9,733 of West Molesey’s households today live inside the outline of a recorded flood.

Since 1968, the largest recorded flood inside the town covered 19 hectares.

River levels

The River Thames at Molesey Lock: highest 1.03 m, in February 2014

The highest level each winter (October to September) at the Environment Agency’s Molesey Lock gauge (East Molesey), since 1995. The river normally runs between 0.05 m and 0.30 m here.

Highest level each winter, metres
Winter 1995–96: highest 0.38 m · 32 days above the normal rangeWinter 1996–97: highest 0.51 m · 35 days above the normal rangeWinter 1997–98: highest 0.50 m · 49 days above the normal rangeWinter 1998–99: highest 0.93 m on 9 October 1998 · 77 days above the normal rangeWinter 1999–00: highest 0.90 m on 2 May 2000 · 90 days above the normal rangeWinter 2002–03: highest 0.96 m on 2 January 2003 · 56 days above the normal rangeWinter 2003–04: highest 0.48 m · 119 days above the normal rangeWinter 2004–05: highest 0.43 m · 116 days above the normal rangeWinter 2005–06: highest 0.46 m · 99 days above the normal rangeWinter 2006–07: highest 0.35 m · 19 days above the normal rangeWinter 2007–08: highest 0.46 m · 33 days above the normal rangeWinter 2008–09: highest 0.42 m · 25 days above the normal rangeWinter 2009–10: highest 0.37 m · 25 days above the normal rangeWinter 2010–11: highest 0.30 m · 1 days above the normal rangeWinter 2011–12: highest 0.38 m · 6 days above the normal rangeWinter 2012–13: highest 0.56 m · 24 days above the normal rangeWinter 2013–14: highest 1.03 m on 12 February 2014 · 62 days above the normal rangeWinter 2014–15: highest 0.34 m · 15 days above the normal rangeWinter 2015–16: highest 0.40 m · 29 days above the normal rangeWinter 2016–17: highest 0.37 m · 9 days above the normal rangeWinter 2017–18: highest 0.41 m · 14 days above the normal rangeWinter 2018–19: highest 0.38 m · 14 days above the normal rangeWinter 2019–20: highest 0.55 m · 54 days above the normal rangeWinter 2020–21: highest 0.40 m · 35 days above the normal rangeWinter 2021–22: highest 0.36 m · 39 days above the normal rangeWinter 2022–23: highest 0.39 m · 38 days above the normal rangeWinter 2023–24: highest 0.60 m · 53 days above the normal rangeWinter 2024–25: highest 0.43 m · 77 days above the normal rangeWinter 2025–26: highest 0.43 m · 122 days above the normal range’13–14’02–03’98–99Record 1.03 m, 2014Top of normal range
1995–962025–26
The highest days on record
  • 12 February 20141.03 m
  • 2 January 20030.96 m
  • 9 October 19980.93 m
  • 2 May 20000.90 m
  • 14 December 20000.78 m
  • 7 January 20140.74 m

The River Thames has topped its normal range on 1,367 days since 1995, most in the winters of 2025–26 and 2003–04. By its highest day, the winter of 2025–26 was the 13th-highest of the 29.

Environment Agency Hydrology API, Molesey Lock (station 3102TH), daily maximum level; the record and normal range from the EA’s stage scale. Live river levels are on GOV.UK’s Check for flooding.

Flood warnings

No flood warning or alert is in force for West Molesey · 17 warnings in 20 years

The Environment Agency has 6 flood warning areas and 5 alert areas reaching into the town; warnings since the service began in 2006.

Now: no flood warnings or alerts for West Molesey (checked 9 November 2026, 21:28). Check for flooding on GOV.UK →
Warnings and alerts each year for areas in West Molesey
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Flood warning (flooding expected)Flood alert (flooding possible)

The warning area covering the most of West Molesey, River Mole at Esher and East Molesey, has not had a flood warning since 2006. Of the 17 warnings, 8 were for River Thames at Thames Ditton Island and 4 for Properties closest to the River Thames from Platts Eyot to Hampton Court Bridge.

2014 had the most warnings (11); 2024 the most alerts (27). The most recent warning was on 6 January 2024.

Show the 11 warning and alert areas
AreaKindSince 2006Now
River Thames at Thames Ditton IslandWarning area8None
Properties closest to the River Thames from Platts Eyot to Hampton Court BridgeWarning area4None
River Thames at East and West MoleseyWarning area3None
River Thames at Thames DittonWarning area2None
River Mole at Esher and East MoleseyWarning area0None
River Rythe between Oxshott and Thames DittonWarning area0None
River Thames from Hampton and Thames Ditton to TeddingtonAlert area65None
River Thames from Shepperton to MoleseyAlert area46None
River Thames at Thames Ditton IslandAlert area41None
River Rythe from Oxshott to Thames DittonAlert area21None
Lower River Mole area at Esher and East MoleseyAlert area0None

Environment Agency Historic Flood Warnings (first issues only, not updates; “flood watch” counted as an alert before 2011) and the real-time flood-monitoring API. Sign up for free warnings on GOV.UK or call Floodline, 0345 988 1188.

Radon

West Molesey is in the lowest radon band

Radon is a natural radioactive gas from the ground; long exposure raises the risk of lung cancer. The atlas gives the chance that a home in each 1 km square is above the UK action level (200 Bq/m³).

TQ1267: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1268: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1367: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1368: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1369: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1463: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1464: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1466: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1467: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1468: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1469: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1562: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1563: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1564: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1565: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1566: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1567: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1568: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1662: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1663: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1664: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1665: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1666: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1667: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1765: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1766: Under 1% of homes above the action levelTQ1767: Under 1% of homes above the action level© OpenStreetMap contributors · BGS/UKHSA
Under 1%
Share of the town’s area in each band
Under 1% of homes100%

Every 1 km square over West Molesey is in the lowest band: fewer than 1 in 100 homes are expected to be above the action level.

BGS/UKHSA Indicative Atlas of Radon in Great Britain, version 3. Check an address at UKradon.org.

Neighbours

Flood risk in the places around West Molesey

Share of homes at high or medium and at low risk from rivers and the sea. Tap a town for its page.

Esher: Hazard risk BKingston upon Thames: Hazard risk DWalton-on-Thames: Hazard risk DHersham: Hazard risk B+Sunbury-on-Thames: Hazard risk C−Upper Halliford: Hazard risk B+Worcester Park and Stoneleigh: Hazard risk B+EsherKingston upon ThamesWalton-on-ThamesHershamSunbury-on-ThamesUpper HallifordWorcester Park and StoneleighWest Molesey
ABCD
TownPeopleHigh or mediumLowHazard
West Molesey47,1447.2%26%D
Esher9,484under 0.1%35%B
Kingston upon Thames166,3334.5%4.2%D
Walton-on-Thames27,0167.5%13%D
Hersham12,6220%6.6%B+
Sunbury-on-Thames21,4762.1%6%C−
Upper Halliford2,3370%under 0.1%B+
Worcester Park and Stoneleigh15,8510%1.2%B+

Walton-on-Thames, 2.8 miles west, has the most homes at risk around West Molesey (7.5% at high or medium). Hersham, Upper Halliford and Worcester Park and Stoneleigh have none.

Be ready

Get ready for what West Molesey faces

Free warnings, what to do in a cloudburst, and what to check before you move.

Get the warnings
  • Sign up free for Environment Agency flood warnings by text, call or email.
  • Floodline: 0345 988 1188, 24 hours.
  • West Molesey’s warning areas include River Mole at Esher and East Molesey and River Rythe between Oxshott and Thames Ditton.
Sign up ↗
In a cloudburst
  • Surface water rises in minutes, often with no warning issued: stay out of underpasses and dips.
  • Keep the gullies and drains outside your home clear of leaves.
  • Report a blocked road drain to the council.
When the river rises
  • Never walk or drive through floodwater: 30 cm of moving water can float a car.
  • Move valuables, papers and medicines upstairs.
  • Turn off gas, electricity and water if you’re told to.
Before you buy or rent in West Molesey
  • Check the address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service: it gives rivers and sea and surface water separately.
  • Ask whether the home has flooded or had a flood insurance claim; the TA6 property form asks the seller.
  • Homes built before 2009 can get flood cover through Flood Re, the government-backed scheme; newer homes can’t.
How to read these numbers

What this data can and can’t tell you

  • Defences are counted. Both agencies’ maps allow for flood defences and the chance they are overtopped or fail, so a town behind a defence scheme can show few homes at high risk and many at low risk.
  • Surface water is our estimate. Neither agency publishes a count of homes at risk from surface water, so we read each address on the map. A flat on a hill and a basement in a dip can share a postcode.
  • Past floods are what was recorded. The flood outlines come from surveys, aerial photographs and reports; many small floods, and most surface-water floods, were never mapped.
  • One town, many streets. Risk is street by street. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service before you buy or rent.

Check the long-term flood risk for an address on GOV.UK →

Questions about flooding and hazards in West Molesey

Does West Molesey flood?

The last flood the Environment Agency recorded inside the town was in December 2013. 7.2% of homes are at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea on the Environment Agency’s maps, which allow for flood defences. About 5.5% of homes are at high or medium risk from surface water, when heavy rain overwhelms the drains. West Molesey grades D for hazard risk against UK towns.

Which parts of West Molesey are at risk of flooding?

From rivers and the sea, the places the Environment Agency warns directly: River Thames at Thames Ditton Island, Properties closest to the River Thames from Platts Eyot to Hampton Court Bridge, River Thames at East and West Molesey and River Thames at Thames Ditton. Surface water can collect in low spots anywhere in the town. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service.

When did West Molesey last flood?

The recorded flood outlines inside the town run from 1947 to 2013 (9 years); the largest was in 1968. Flood warnings have been issued for parts of the town since 2006, most recently on 6 January 2024.

Is West Molesey at risk of surface water flooding?

About 2.8% of homes are at high risk and 2.7% at medium risk from surface water, against 7.2% at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea. Surface water floods come with little warning, and the agencies don’t issue warnings for them.

Is radon a problem in West Molesey?

Not by the atlas: every 1 km square over West Molesey is in the lowest band, where fewer than 1 in 100 homes are expected to be above the action level.

Are there flood warnings in West Molesey now?

No flood warning or alert was in force near West Molesey at 9 November 2026, 21:28. Live warnings are on GOV.UK’s Check for flooding service and Floodline, 0345 988 1188.

Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and/or database right 2026. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026.

Sources: Environment Agency Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea, postcodes in areas at risk (June 2026); Natural Resources Wales Flood Risk Assessment Wales (May 2026); ONS Census 2021 households by postcode · Environment Agency Risk of Flooding from Surface Water (NaFRA2, 2025) and Natural Resources Wales Flood Risk Assessment Wales surface water and small watercourses, read at every address (ONS National Statistics UPRN Lookup, September 2026) and weighted by Census 2021 households by postcode · Environment Agency Recorded Flood Outlines and Natural Resources Wales historic flood map, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Environment Agency Hydrology API (daily maximum river level) and flood-monitoring stage scales · Environment Agency real-time flood-monitoring API · Environment Agency Historic Flood Warnings (January 2006 to June 2026) and flood warning and alert areas · BGS/UKHSA Indicative Atlas of Radon in Great Britain, version 3, by 1 km square · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.