Scotland SEPA Flooding Outlook - Storm Chandra

Scotland SEPA News

Published January 26th, 2026

Detected March 26th, 2026

Summary

SEPA has issued a flooding outlook for Monday, January 26, 2026, due to Storm Chandra. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain, snow, and high winds to Scotland, potentially causing surface water flooding, travel disruption, and minor impacts to low-lying areas.

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What changed

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued a notice regarding the expected impacts of Storm Chandra on January 26, 2026. The storm is forecast to bring significant rainfall, snow, and high winds, particularly to southern Scotland, Tayside, Angus, and Aberdeenshire. SEPA anticipates potential surface water flooding on roads, leading to commuter disruption, and further minor impacts on land and roads in areas with saturated ground and high river levels.

Regulated entities and the public are advised to stay informed through SEPA's Floodline service, regional flood alerts, and local flood warnings. Safety advice includes avoiding flood water, driving with care, and being cautious near the coast. While this is a notice and not a rule, preparedness for potential disruptions is recommended, especially for businesses operating in affected areas or those with infrastructure vulnerable to flooding.

What to do next

Review SEPA's Floodline service for updates.
Check regional flood alerts and local flood warnings.
Assess potential impacts on operations and travel routes.

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Flooding Outlook - Monday 26th January

Date published: 26 January 2026

Flooding Storm Chandra will move in from the west on Tuesday bringing further heavy and persistent rainfall, snow and high winds.

Janine Hensman, SEPA’s Flood Duty Manager, said:

“The arrival of Storm Chandra from the west will bring strong winds, snow and rain to areas of southern Scotland from early Tuesday morning. Surface water flooding to roads and disruption to travel for commuters is possible.

“Heavy and persistent rain will then move north throughout Tuesday to areas of Tayside, Angus and Aberdeenshire, where river levels remain high and ground saturated. As a result, further minor impacts to low-lying land and roads, disruption to travel and flooding of isolated properties is likely.”

Notes to editors

An interview with David Cooper is available to download from SEPA's asset library.

You do not need to register but you will only be able to listen to the first 20 seconds until you download it.

People are encouraged to sign up to the Floodline service to receive free updates for where they live, or where they’re travelling through, directly to their phone.

People can also check flood updates for all the latest updates and have a look at the three day Scottish Flood Forecast to see what’s expected further ahead.

Stay safe

Don’t walk through flood water – 15cm of fast flowing water could be enough to knock you off your feet and hazards can be hidden under the water.
Drive with care, and do not travel through deep fast flowing water. It only takes 30cm of fast flowing water to move an average family sized car.
Be extra careful if near the coast. Stay away from flooded promenades and crashing waves.
Consider deploying flooding protection products if required.

Stay informed

Follow @SEPAFlood on X for the latest flooding information.
Check the Regional Flood Alerts and Local Flood Warnings for your area.
Check your transport routes and check road conditions.
Check Ready Scotland for advice on preparing for severe weather.

What’s the difference between a flood alert and a flood warning?

Regional Flood Alerts are early advice that flooding is possible across a wider geographical area. The purpose of the Alerts is to make people aware of the risk of flooding and be prepared. We normally issue them 12 to 24 hours in advance of the possibility of flooding.

Flood Warnings are more locally specific and are issued for areas where we have gauges to measure the exact water height. They are issued at shorter notice when we are more certain that a specific area will be affected.