The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain and wind covering Bootle and parts of the wider Merseyside area on 2 February 2026, warning that heavy rain and strong gusts could cause surface-water flooding and travel disruption through mid‑week as a deep Atlantic low‑pressure system moves across the region.
Heavy rainfall is likely to cause water to collect on low‑lying stretches and major routes such as the A565 (Rimrose Road), particularly because the ground remains saturated from earlier winter storms. Sefton Council’s Emergency Planning Team says its WeatherWise teams are on 24‑hour standby to clear gullies and respond to reports of fallen trees and blocked drains. Residents should report urgent highway flooding to Sefton’s Highways Department on 0345 140 0845.
The Environment Agency is monitoring river and sea levels along the Mersey Estuary to assess how high tides might affect local drainage. The Agency’s Check for Flooding service should be consulted for live flood warnings and river/sea levels; as of 8:29am on 2 February 2026 the service showed no flood warnings or alerts for Merseyside, but levels are being monitored.
Commuters are advised to check routes before travelling. Merseytravel’s WeatherWise programme urges passengers to plan journeys in advance and check the authority’s travel updates page for live information, because heavy rain and debris can lead to bus and train delays. Drivers should avoid travelling through deep standing water, particularly in under‑bridge hollows where pooling commonly occurs during heavy storms.
SP Energy Networks — the local distribution network operator for Merseyside — says local electricity teams are prepared to respond to network damage. Anyone who loses power or sees damage to overhead lines or substations should report it via the national power cut number, 105, and check SP Energy Networks’ outage map for updates.
Residents are advised to secure loose garden furniture and bins, keep phone numbers and flashlights to hand, and follow updates from the Met Office, Sefton Council, the Environment Agency and Merseytravel until the warning has passed.
