The short answer
Read the warning and check its colour. The Met Office says yellow means check whether you could be affected, amber means think about changing your plans and protecting yourself and your property, and red means a risk to life: take action now to keep yourself and others safe, and avoid travel where possible. For a storm, tie down or bring in loose things outside and stay indoors. For a flood warning, move people, pets and important things upstairs and turn off gas, electricity and water if it's safe; never walk or drive through flood water. For heat, keep out of the sun from 11am to 3pm; for cold, heat the rooms you use to at least 18°C. Check on neighbours who may need help.
Prints the checklist without the menus.
Do this now
- Read the warning and note the colour. Red means a risk to life: the Met Office says take action now and avoid travel where possible.
- Storm: bring in or tie down loose things outside (ladders, trampolines, garden furniture). Stay indoors, away from windows.
- Flood warning: move people, pets, documents and valuables upstairs. Turn off gas, electricity and water if it's safe.
- Never walk, cycle or drive through flood water (GOV.UK).
- Charge phones and power banks. Find your torch and radio in case the power goes.
- Heat: keep out of the sun from 11am to 3pm, curtains closed on sunny rooms, drink regularly.
- Cold: heat the rooms you use most to at least 18°C if you can.
- Call 999 if life is at risk. Then check on neighbours who may need help.
Free: the Alert Action Card
The first six steps for a nuclear or radiation alert, a missile or air attack alert, no water from the tap and a power cut, on one page for the fridge, plus a phone version you can open offline. Every step checked against GOV.UK, UKHSA and Be Ready on 3 November 2026. No sign-up needed.
Print card (A4 PDF, light) Phone version (PDF)
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Minute 0 to 2: what kind of warning is it?
| Warning | From | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow weather warning | Met Office | Some moderate impacts likely, or bigger ones less certain. Check if you could be affected |
| Amber weather warning | Met Office | Impacts more likely and could disrupt plans. Think about changing your plans and protecting yourself and your property |
| Red weather warning | Met Office | Dangerous weather; very high likelihood of risk to life. Take action now; avoid travel where possible; follow the emergency services and council |
| Flood warning | Environment Agency (England) | Flood warning: flooding is expected |
| Severe flood warning | Environment Agency (England) | Danger to life |
| Heat-health or cold-health alert | UKHSA (England) | Act on the advice in the alert |
The Met Office says to check the warning's matrix too: it shows how likely the impact is and how bad it could be. Our storm tracker shows the warnings in force, and our flood warnings explained guide covers the flood codes.
Storm: minutes 2 to 10
- Secure or bring in anything wind could throw: ladders, trampolines, garden furniture (Be Ready).
- Limit travel. If you must go, allow extra time, check your operator's advice, and take care on bridges and high, open roads (Be Ready).
- Stay in. Be Ready says try not to go outside unless you have to, and don't shelter next to buildings, fences, walls or trees.
- Get ready for a power cut: phones and power banks charged, torch and radio out. The number to report one is 105 (03457 643643 in Northern Ireland). See the power's out: first 10 minutes.
- Fallen power lines: keep as far away as you can and never touch them. Be Ready says high-voltage electricity can jump gaps with no warning.
Flood warning: minutes 2 to 10
GOV.UK's steps for a flood warning:
- Move your family, pets and important things to safety, upstairs or to higher ground.
- Put flood protection in place if you have it, such as flood barriers or air brick covers.
- Turn off gas, electricity and water if it's safe. Don't touch an electrical switch if you're standing in water.
- Don't drive through flood water. Only move your car to higher ground if it's safe.
- Follow the council and emergency services. You may be asked to leave. Be Ready says delaying can put your life at risk. If you're told to go, see we have to leave now.
For a severe flood warning (danger to life): call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger, leave if the emergency services tell you to, and don't put yourself at risk for cars or belongings (GOV.UK).
Floodline: 0345 988 1188, 24 hours (textphone 0345 602 6340).
Heatwave: the first steps
Be Ready's advice:
- Keep out of the sun as much as you can between 11am and 3pm.
- Close windows and curtains on rooms facing the sun during the day; open windows at night when it's cooler.
- Drink regularly, and carry a refillable bottle when you go out.
- Never leave a baby, child, older person or pet in a parked car: it gets dangerously hot very quickly.
- Check on people at higher risk. For worries, ask a pharmacist, your GP or NHS 111. Be Ready says heatstroke must be treated as an emergency: call 999.
More: keeping the house cool without air con.
Cold, snow and ice: the first steps
- Heat the rooms you use most (living room, bedroom) to at least 18°C if you can (Be Ready).
- Check on people at higher risk: ask how they are and offer to fetch food or medicines.
- Think before you travel. Be Ready suggests packing essentials in the car in case you get stuck: see our winter car kit.
- Check for cold-health alerts covering your area and act on the advice.
Printable checklist: severe weather warning
Print this and keep it with your torch.
Set up this week
- Sign up for flood warnings on GOV.UK (or Floodline 0345 988 1188) if you're in a flood area
- Torch, spare batteries and a battery or wind-up radio together in one place
- Power bank, kept charged
- Documents and insurance details in a waterproof wallet, upstairs
- Know where to turn off gas, electricity and water
- 105 and Floodline saved in your phone and on paper
When a warning comes
- Read it: colour, area, times
- Red: act on it now; avoid travel where possible
- Storm: loose things in or tied down; stay in, away from windows
- Flood: people, pets, documents upstairs; utilities off if safe
- No walking or driving through flood water
- Heat: out of the sun 11am to 3pm, curtains closed, drink
- Cold: main rooms to at least 18°C
- Check on neighbours; 999 if life is at risk
What to buy
About these links: plain links to ordinary retailer pages. We may earn from some links in future; we don't now. We haven’t tested these and we don’t rank them: they are examples that were in stock when we checked. Prices change. Check what you already own first. Full kit list
Torch or head torch, plus spare batteries
Look for: Runs on the same AA or AAA batteries as your other kit, so one spare pack covers everything. A head torch leaves both hands free.
- Alpkit Ionic 350 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £15.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 155 LED Head Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £19.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Alpkit Kula 550 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £19.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 480 LED Hand Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £29.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Dynamo Powered Wind-Up Pocket LED Torch · EVAQ8 · £3.60 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Battery or wind-up FM radio
Look for: FM (Be Ready asks for FM; DAB as well is fine). Both a crank and ordinary batteries, so you have two ways to power it.
Power bank
Look for: From a seller you know. Check the capacity (mAh) against your phone, and that you have the right cable for each phone. Keep it charged.
Waterproof document wallet or resealable bags
Look for: Big enough for copies of passports, insurance details and medicine lists.
- Waterproof Document Pouch - Translucent PVC · EVAQ8 · £5.11 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
First aid kit
Look for: Waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash, sterile dressings, gloves, medical tape and tweezers.
- St John Ambulance Home First Aid Kit · St John Ambulance shop · £10.50 (price on 3 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Adventurer First Aid Kit · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £26.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Mountain First Aid Kit · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £42.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
What official advice doesn't cover
- Exactly what will happen on your street. Warnings cover areas. Local radio, your council and the Environment Agency give the detail on the day.
- Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales flood warnings come from their own agencies (DfI Rivers, SEPA and Natural Resources Wales). The Met Office warnings cover the whole UK.
- Insurance. After a flood, Be Ready says photograph the damage and get your insurer's approval before any repairs: see what to do after a flood.
No guide can promise you'll avoid damage. Reading the warning, staying off flooded roads and checking on others is what every source we checked agrees on.
Frequently asked questions
What do yellow, amber and red weather warnings mean?
The Met Office says yellow means a high likelihood of some moderate impacts, or bigger impacts that are less certain: most people can carry on but should check if they could be affected. Amber means an increased likelihood of impacts that could disrupt your plans: think about changing them and protecting yourself and your property. Red means dangerous weather with a very high likelihood of risk to life: take action now to keep yourself and others safe, and avoid travelling where possible.
What's the difference between a flood warning and a severe flood warning?
Be Ready says a flood warning means flooding is expected, and a severe flood warning means there's a danger to life. For a severe flood warning, GOV.UK says call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger and leave if the emergency services tell you to.
Should I go out in a storm?
Be Ready says try not to go outside unless you have to, and don't shelter next to buildings, fences, walls or trees. If you must drive, take care on bridges and high, open roads, and think about delaying your journey.
What should I do if I see a fallen power line?
Keep as far away as you can. Be Ready says high-voltage electricity can jump gaps without warning, and not to touch any cables that have been blown down or are still hanging. Report it to your network operator on 105, or 999 if it's a danger to life.
What is a heat-health or cold-health alert?
They're alerts from the UK Health Security Agency for England. Be Ready asks you to check for alerts covering your area and act on the advice. For heat: keep out of the sun from 11am to 3pm, close curtains on sunny rooms, drink regularly, and never leave anyone or a pet in a parked car. For cold: heat the rooms you use most to at least 18°C and check on people at higher risk.
Where do I get flood warnings?
Sign up on GOV.UK to get flood warnings by phone, text or email, or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 (24 hours; textphone 0345 602 6340). Be Ready says someone who needs extra help can ask Floodline to send warnings to a friend or relative too.
Sources
We opened each page on the date shown. Official advice changes: if a source says something different now, follow the source.
- Met Office: Weather warnings guide (what yellow, amber and red mean) (read 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: Storms (read 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: Flooding (read 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: What to do before or during a flood (Floodline 0345 988 1188) (read 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: Hot weather and heatwaves (read 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: Cold weather, snow and ice (read 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: Power cuts (105) (read 2 November 2026)
Related guides
- Storm and flood preparation in the UK
- Flood alerts and flood warnings: what each level means and what to do
- Heatwave at home: keeping your home and people cool and safe
- Cold-Health Alerts: what UKHSA's yellow, amber and red alerts mean
Free tools
We're an independent UK site, not the government. We check guides against official sources and link to them. In an emergency call 999.
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