Storm Henk affected Gloucestershire in January 2024, according to the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC), which names the storm as the start of a run of dangerous weather in the county. The GRCC refers to the storm in a Flood Action Week article published on 13 October 2025, written by its Community Resilience Officer, Lucy Eccles.
The article gives no further detail on Storm Henk itself: no dates within January 2024, no areas of Gloucestershire affected, no casualty figures and no damage estimates have been reported. The GRCC places the storm at the beginning of a sequence, writing that "From Storm Henk in January 2024 to Storm Bert in Autumn 2024, Gloucestershire is no stranger to dangerous weather"1.
The wider figures in the article concern the winter that followed. The GRCC reports that the Environment Agency issued more than 3000 flood alerts, 1600 flood warnings and three severe flood warnings to people at risk last winter, and that the Met Office has warned of a wetter than average autumn this year1. The GRCC also states that the cost of flooding to a home can be tens of thousands of pounds, and that flooding can disrupt lives, affect mental and physical health, cause financial costs to businesses, lead to agricultural losses and isolate rural communities1.
"Today is the first day of Flood Action Week 2025"
The GRCC says Flood Action Week 2025, the annual campaign organised by the Environment Agency, ran from the 13th to the 19th October1.
| Item | Detail as reported by the GRCC1 |
|---|---|
| Storm named | Storm Henk, January 2024 |
| Later storm named | Storm Bert, Autumn 2024 |
| Flood alerts issued last winter | More than 3000 |
| Flood warnings issued last winter | 1600 |
| Severe flood warnings issued last winter | Three |
| Seasonal outlook | Met Office warned of a wetter than average autumn |
| Flood warden schemes run by GRCC | Tewkesbury Borough, Stroud District, Cotswold District; assisting in Cheltenham Borough |
Why it matters for households
The GRCC's account places Gloucestershire among the counties affected by repeated storm and flood events, with the practical consequences falling on households at risk of flooding. Its published advice for the week includes signing up for Environment Agency flood warnings, reading guidance on protecting property from flood damage, such as installing high shelves or a flood resistant door, knowing how to turn off gas, electricity and water before leaving home during a flood, and preparing a personal flood kit in case of evacuation. It also advises households to get affordable house insurance, citing insurance advice from the National Flood Forum, and to contact the local town or parish council to find out what community emergency plans are in place1. The GRCC states that taking simple steps now can make a big difference later1.
For households in Gloucestershire, the GRCC runs Flood Warden schemes in Tewkesbury Borough, Stroud District and Cotswold District, and assists in Cheltenham Borough; it gives the contact address cdt@grcc.org.uk and the telephone number 01452 528491 for information on flood preparedness and community emergency planning1. General preparation for storms is covered in the guide to storms and snow.
What happens next
No further dates connected with Storm Henk are given. The only dated steps reported are those of Flood Action Week 2025, which the GRCC says ran from the 13th to the 19th October1.
Sources (1)
- News Detail | GRCC, grcc.org.uk
