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Trip Cancellation Insurance Explained

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Table of Contents

What is trip cancellation insurance?

Covered reasons for trip cancellation, what is not covered by trip cancellation insurance, cancel for any reason trip insurance, is trip cancellation insurance expensive, different ways to get trip cancellation insurance, which insurance coverage is best for me.

When booking travel, particularly expensive trips consisting of nonrefundable reservations, it makes sense to consider trip cancellation insurance since it can protect your deposit if your plans do not materialize due to unforeseen events. However, not every reason for canceling a trip will qualify for coverage, so you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the basics of trip cancellation insurance.

Trip cancellation coverage can be purchased as part of a comprehensive travel insurance policy , or you can receive it for free when you hold certain premium credit cards. The benefit is designed to protect prepaid, nonrefundable reservations, including flights, hotel reservations and other bookings if the trip is canceled due to an extraordinary circumstance. Each policy will state exactly which events are considered valid reasons for cancellations.

With COVID-19 still affecting travel plans, you’ll want to pay close attention to which reasons for cancellation due to the pandemic are valid. For example, wanting to cancel a trip you booked a while ago because your destination now has rising COVID-19 numbers and you’re afraid to travel is not likely a valid reason.

If you want to be able to cancel a trip for truly any reason, consider the Cancel For Any Reason supplemental upgrade when purchasing your insurance policy. CFAR will allow you to get up to 75% of your trip investment back as long as the trip is cancelled at least two days before departure.

» Learn more: Does my travel insurance cover the coronavirus?

Imagine you’ve booked a two-week vacation to Italy costing $5,000 ($1,000 flight, $3,500 hotel and $500 excursions), all of which is nonrefundable. Then, a week before your departure date, you fall and break your leg.

So, what does trip cancellation insurance cover?

If you have trip cancellation insurance, you’ll be able to get your entire prepaid, nonrefundable trip cost back (as long as the entire amount was insured), since injuries that necessitate medical treatment and prevent you from taking your trip qualify as a covered reason.

Other covered reasons include death of your traveling companion, inclement weather that results in disrupted service, jury duty, terrorist incident, job termination and other extraordinary events.

Although this is not an entire list of all the covered reasons, generally the cancellation must be due to unforeseen circumstances to qualify for a reimbursement. Review the fine print of your policy for the details of exactly which reasons are covered. When seeking reimbursement, you’ll need to submit claims to the insurance provider to substantiate your claim.

Although a wide range of reasons allow you to receive your prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses back in the event of a trip cancellation, there are important exclusions to know about.

Trip cancellation insurance will not cover losses arising from self-harm, foreseeable events, acts of war, taking part in activities considered dangerous (e.g., skydiving, bungee jumping, endurance races, etc.), a felony, childbirth, dental treatment and more.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

So what if you want the flexibility to cancel your trip for reasons other than those covered by your policy? For that, you're going to need the CFAR insurance mentioned above.

CFAR is often available as an add-on to travel insurance policies, and while it can come in handy if you want to cancel your trip just because, you're not likely to get all your money back.

Most CFAR policies will only reimburse 75% of your nonrefundable travel expenditures.

» Learn more: Best travel insurance with Cancel For Any Reason Coverage

The price of trip cancellation insurance can vary based on the traveler’s age, destination, length of trip, cost of trip and insurance company.

Using the same $5,000, two-week trip to Italy as mentioned above, a search of policies on SquareMouth (a NerdWallet partner) ranged from $115 to $470, representing 2.3% to 9.4% of the total trip cost.

» Learn more: How much is travel insurance?

All policies provide 100% coverage of the trip cost, however the more expensive plans usually have higher limits on benefits like medical evacuation.

If you’re only looking for trip cancellation coverage and no other protections, a policy equating to 2.3% of the total trip expenses seems reasonable.

On your travel credit card

Trip cancellation coverage can be included as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan or offered as a benefit on premium travel credit cards.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will reimburse you or your immediate family members up to $10,000 per trip. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and many other American Express cards also offer up to $10,000 in trip cancellation coverage. Terms apply.

These premium cards also offer other insurance benefits like trip interruption coverage, emergency assistance services, trip delay and more.

If you travel often and typically purchase trip cancellation coverage, consider applying for one of the cards that offer complimentary travel insurance . Not only will you get trip insurance benefits, but you will also get other travel perks and statement credits that can partly offset the annual fee.

Supplement by purchasing policies out-of-pocket

If the coverage limits offered on the cards aren’t sufficient or you’re looking for more protections (e.g., coverage for emergency medical expenses), you’d be better off with a travel insurance . Although you’d incur an additional cost for purchasing a comprehensive plan, you’d have many more benefits not commonly found in the insurance policies offered by the credit cards.

A comprehensive trip cancellation policy is likely to cover canceled flights so long as the flight or flights are nonrefundable and are a part of the total, prepaid expenses covered by your policy. Insurance provided by travel cards typically includes trip delay or cancellation coverage so long as you used that card to pay for your flight reservations.

If you're forced to cancel your trip due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control, travel insurance will provide coverage for some or all of your nonrefundable travel expenditures, depending on your policy. Covered events will vary, so be sure to review the terms of any plan you intend to purchase.

Trip cancellation insurance is available for purchase from a wide range of companies and is often included as a benefit on travel credit cards. Under certain circumstances, it provides coverage for prepaid travel expenses in the event that you cannot complete your trip as planned.

A comprehensive trip cancellation policy is likely to cover canceled flights so long as the flight or flights are nonrefundable and are a part of the total, prepaid expenses covered by your policy.

Insurance provided by travel cards

typically includes trip delay or cancellation coverage so long as you used that card to pay for your flight reservations.

If you’re going on a trip consisting of costly flights, hotel reservations and excursions and would like to protect your prepaid, nonrefundable deposit but do not need any other coverage, a minimally priced trip cancellation insurance policy is a good choice.

If you have a premium travel credit card , check if you already have trip cancellation insurance as a benefit before you purchase a policy.

However, if you’re looking for additional coverage like travel medical insurance , and/or a basic plan doesn’t have adequate limits, consider a comprehensive travel insurance policy from providers such as AAA , Allianz , and AIG . Read NerdWallet's full analysis of the best travel insurance companies here .

Insurance Benefit: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.

Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

How to maximize your rewards

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No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Protect Your Travel Plans: Trip Cancellation Insurance Explained and the 5 Best Policies

Jessica Merritt

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Table of Contents

The 5 best trip cancellation insurance policies, what is trip cancellation insurance, how trip cancellation insurance works, is trip cancellation insurance worth it, what trip cancellation insurance costs, choosing trip cancellation insurance , final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

You’ve booked your flight, hotel, and tours and are ready to go on your trip — but what happens if you can’t make it? Unexpected circumstances can pop up that force you to cancel your trip, such as illness or natural disasters. If you can’t get refunds from travel suppliers, trip cancellation insurance can help.

Let’s look at what trip cancellation covers, whether you need a trip cancellation policy, and what you should know before shopping for a plan.

You’ll have plenty of options if you want a cheap, standalone trip cancellation policy, comprehensive travel coverage, or Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage.

Consider these trip cancellation insurance policies that offer good value and coverage, quoted for a 35-year-old visiting Mexico on a $1,500 trip in September 2023:

Best Cheap Trip Cancellation Insurance: battleface

We were quoted just $20 for a battleface Discovery Plan with trip cancellation benefits up to $1,500. But that’s all it offers — you won’t get trip interruption coverage, medical coverage, evacuation, loss or delay, or other benefits offered by comprehensive travel insurance plans.

Best Extensive Trip Cancellation Reasons: IMG

IMG’s iTravelnsured Travel Essential plan isn’t CFAR coverage, but it has multiple covered reasons for cancellation. You’re covered for foreign and domestic terrorism, financial default, medical reasons, and accommodations made uninhabitable. Our $35.92 quote offered up to 100% of the total trip cost for trip cancellation and 125% for trip interruption. 

Best Comprehensive Trip Cancellation Coverage: TinLeg

TinLeg’s Basic travel insurance plan covers up to 100% of your total trip cost for trip cancellation , but you’ll also get other major travel insurance coverages. This plan we were quoted $41 for offers trip interruption, travel delay, baggage delay, emergency medical, evacuation and repatriation, and more. 

Best Layoff Protection: Aegis

Like the battleface plan, Aegis Go Ready Trip Cancellation insurance covers up to 100% of your trip cost if you need to cancel — but not much else. But a big value-add is employment layoff coverage , which allows you to get reimbursed if you need to cancel your trip due to involuntary layoff or termination of employment. We were quoted $45 for this plan.

Best Cancel for Any Reason: Seven Corners

The Seven Corners Trip Protection Basic plan offers optional CFAR coverage, which reimburses up to 75% of your trip cost for reasons not otherwise covered by your policy. Regular trip cancellation and interruption coverage offer reimbursement of up to 100% of your trip cost. Our quoted cost for this plan came to $58.

Trip cancellation insurance is a type of travel insurance. With trip cancellation coverage, you can get reimbursement for nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses if you need to cancel your trip before departure. Trip cancellation is one of the main coverage areas for travel insurance, the other being medical emergency coverage.

Many comprehensive travel insurance policies offer trip cancellation coverage; standalone trip cancellation insurance is less common than comprehensive travel policies. Travel credit cards may offer trip cancellation coverage as a cardholder benefit, as well.

Trip cancellation insurance kicks in if you must cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as an illness, injury, or other covered reasons. You can get reimbursed for nonrefundable expenses if you have travel cancellation insurance and need to cancel your trip.

Covered nonrefundable expenses typically include:

• Hotels and vacation rentals
• Rental cars

Travel insurance policies with trip cancellation coverage often include trip interruption benefits. Similar to trip cancellation coverage, trip interruption benefits can help you recoup your costs if you need to delay or cut your trip short due to covered reasons.

When To Buy Trip Cancellation Insurance

You can usually purchase trip cancellation insurance up to the day before your scheduled departure. Still, you’ll get more value if you purchase insurance as soon as you make your first trip deposit . That way, your travel plans are covered from the start.

Trip Cancellation Insurance Covered Reasons

Unless you opt for Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance, trip cancellation insurance only applies to covered cancellation reasons. For example, you can’t use trip cancellation insurance to cancel your trip for a refund because there’s rain forecasted for your beach vacation. But, you could get reimbursement if a named hurricane forms after you purchased your policy.

Common reasons covered by trip cancellation insurance include:

• Death, including the death of a family member or traveling companion
• Government travel warnings or evacuation orders for your destination
• Home damage or burglary
• Illness, injury, or quarantine that makes you or a covered travel companion unfit to travel
• Legal obligations such as jury duty or subpoena
• Natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods affect travel operations at your destination
• Terrorist incidents at home or your destination
• Travel supplier cancellation
• Unexpected military duty
• Unexpected pregnancy complications
• Unexpected work obligations

These are common covered reasons for trip cancellation insurance, but policies vary in coverage . Reviewing the terms and conditions of your trip cancellation insurance is a good idea so you understand what’s covered.

You should also understand what’s explicitly not covered. For example, changing your mind is not a covered reason on a standard trip cancellation insurance policy. And trip cancellation insurance typically doesn’t cover foreseeable events, routine health treatments, substance abuse, sporting events, mental health, acts of war, self-harm, or dangerous activities such as skydiving.

Cancel for Any Reason Trip Cancellation Coverage

Need to expand your list of covered cancellation reasons? Cancel for Any Reason trip cancellation insurance is an option. 

You can use CFAR to cancel your trip for reasons not covered by trip cancellation insurance, such as changing your mind, fear of travel, unexpected obligations, weather, or budget concerns.

The catch? You’ll pay more for CFAR coverage , and it only reimburses up to 50% to 75% of your nonrefundable travel expenses. Generally, trip cancellation insurance offers 100% reimbursement for covered expenses. 

The other main stipulation is that you’ll need to purchase your coverage within a specified period , usually within 10 to 21 days of your first trip deposit. And to get reimbursement under CFAR, you must cancel your travel within the cancellation timeframe, usually at least 48 hours from your scheduled departure.

Annual Travel Insurance

Most annual travel insurance policies, also known as multi-trip policies, cover trip cancellation for multiple trips taken within the policy period, usually 12 months. You’ll also typically get coverage for medical expenses.

Trip Cancellation vs. Trip Interruption

Trip cancellation insurance covers your nonrefundable travel expenses if you have to cancel before departure, while trip interruption covers your trip costs after departure . For example, trip interruption coverage kicks in if you get injured while traveling and have to go home early.

Trip cancellation insurance can be worth it if you have nonrefundable travel expenses and there’s a risk you’ll have to cancel your travel due to unforeseen events. It offers financial protection if you’re traveling to a destination with potential risks such as natural disasters or political instability — or if you have risk factors at home, such as unpredictable work commitments or family members with health conditions that could interfere with travel. 

If you plan an expensive trip with nonrefundable bookings or deposits, trip cancellation is probably worth it. But if your travel is inexpensive, or most of your travel expenses are refundable, you might not need trip cancellation insurance.

Consider the cost of insurance, the likelihood you’ll need to cancel, and the cost of nonrefundable travel at stake when you decide if trip cancellation is worth it.

A basic travel insurance policy with trip cancellation coverage generally costs between 5% to 10% of your trip costs . So a travel insurance policy for a $5,000 trip would cost $250 to $500. Your costs will be higher if you opt for CFAR coverage.

Factors that influence how much your trip cancellation insurance costs include traveler age, trip expenses, trip length, coverage options, and how many people you need to cover.

A comprehensive travel insurance policy with emergency medical or lost baggage coverage and trip cancellation coverage can offer additional value.

If you’re mainly concerned with trip cancellation coverage, look for cheap travel insurance policies that still offer this coverage, but have either nonexistent or low coverage limits for other coverage areas, such as lost baggage or medical evacuation .

Credit Cards With Trip Cancellation Insurance

You might not have to pay for trip cancellation insurance if you have the right credit card. Some credit cards offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage as a cardholder benefit. 

Credit cards with trip cancellation coverage generally provide between $2,000 to $10,000 per person in trip cancellation benefits, often covering trip interruption. 

For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers cardholders $2,000 in trip cancellation or interruption benefits per person. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , cardholders get up to $10,000 per person in trip cancellation coverage with a maximum of $20,000 per trip and a $40,000 limit per 12-month period.

If your nonrefundable travel costs exceed the covered benefit offered by your credit card, you may prefer to purchase separate trip cancellation insurance.

If you only need trip cancellation and interruption coverage, your credit card may have adequate protection benefits.

Consider these factors as you shop for a trip cancellation insurance policy:

• Cost: Compare policy premiums and consider how the cost fits into your overall travel budget.
• Coverage Amount: Your trip cancellation coverage should cover all of your nonrefundable prepaid trip expenses. But a policy with too much coverage could be more costly than necessary.
• Policy Limits: Know the policy’s limits, including deductibles, exclusions, and limitations.
• Covered Reasons: A policy that offers a variety of covered cancellation reasons offers the most protection.
• CFAR Coverage: Understand whether CFAR coverage is included in the policy and its additional cost.
• Reputation and Customer Service: Read travel insurance reviews to learn about the experiences policyholders have had, whether they’re good or bad.
• Refund Policies: Understand what happens if you cancel your policy before the trip.

Travel insurance comparison sites such as Squaremouth make it easy to enter your trip details and get quotes from multiple insurance providers.

Trip cancellation coverage can provide valuable peace of mind if you’re concerned about losing nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses. It can be worth it if there’s a chance you’ll have to cancel your travel plans, and you’ll lose money on nonrefundable costs. Before you choose a trip cancellation policy, consider factors including cost, coverage, and cancellation reasons, and look at what’s covered with any credit cards you hold.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa ® or Mastercard ® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is trip cancellation insurance for.

Trip cancellation coverage offers financial protection if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip due to unexpected circumstances. You can get reimbursement for nonrefundable prepaid expenses related to covered travel if you have to cancel your trip.

Is trip cancellation covered in travel insurance?

Most travel insurance policies cover trip cancellation coverage. Other common coverage areas include trip interruption and medical emergencies.

Does trip insurance cover cancellation for any reason?

Travel insurance can offer CFAR coverage, usually as an optional add-on. You can select a CFAR policy if you want more flexibility in canceling your trip and receiving reimbursement.

When should I buy trip cancellation insurance?

It’s best to purchase trip cancellation as soon as you have any money at risk on your trip, usually as soon as you book travel. Buying trip cancellation insurance after booking covers you for unexpected circumstances that could cause you to cancel your trip.

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About Jessica Merritt

A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little cash as possible.

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Southdowns Reviews

Southdowns covers over 110 sports and activities as standard and offers cover for pre-existing medical conditions.

• Service (2)
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• Sentiment Score: 0.6/10
• 4565 reviews found on websites such as TrustPilot
• Their Gold, Gold Select, Platinum and Platinum Select policies are rated 5 Star by Defaqto
• Cover 110 leisure sports and activities as standard
• 24/7 emergency medical assistance
• 14 day cooling-off period
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• Rated 5 stars by Defaqto
• Claims (6),
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Slow Company And A Pain If Medical Insurance

• Recieved a response within 1-2 days after their service query was submitted
• Was neither happy or unhappy with their experience when they spoke to someone

Utter Disgrace For A Comoany.

• Recieved a response over 5 days after their claim was submitted
• Claim wasn't successful

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Trip Details

7 nights in Spain

Single Trip Quote

Medical cover limit, cancellation cover limit.

Worldwide cover including USA

Annual Trip Quote

Compare southdowns travel insurance.

Southdowns offers single trip travel insurance and annual multi-trip travel insurance, so whether you’re heading off on a weekend break or a once in a lifetime adventure, you can find a policy that suits your needs. They also offer cover for pre-existing medical conditions, subject to acceptance.

Once you’ve selected a policy, you can choose from either Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum levels of cover. The benefit limits of each cover level are listed in the table below.

Managing your policy and making a claim

Southdowns makes it easy for their customers to view and download and view their policy any time, anywhere. Once you’ve bought a travel insurance policy, you can register your policy online and login to the  Southdowns Member’s Area  as many times as you like.

Southdowns travel insurance claims are dealt with by the AXA travel insurance claims unit. To make a claim, you need to fill in and submit an  AXA Travel Insurance claims notification  online. Alternatively, you can call them on  0345 873 4425   during their opening hours of Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm to either register your claim or discuss the progress of your claim.

Frequently asked Questions

Southdowns currently provide two travel insurance policies; Single Trip and Annual Multi-Trip. Each policy has four levels of cover, including Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each level has different benefits and is subject to different excesses.

Southdowns does not cover travel to a country, specific area or event which the Travel Advice Unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all travel or all but essential travel. For more information, visit the FCO website .

Yes. Southdowns does provide travel insurance cover for pre-existing medical conditions. However, this is subject to acceptance.

Southdowns do not provide a time limit for dealing with claims.

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Bicycles theft is NOT insured

I appreciate that we should in theory read every last detail of the terms and conditions but I would have assumed that under baggage cpver this covered things like bicycles, which I had stolen. Unfortunately not, so watch out!!

Date of experience : 09 March 2024

Reply from Southdownsinsurance

Dear Customer, Thank you for your feedback. Bicycles are specifically excluded from the policy. Based on our research, this is not an unusual exclusion within the market for a travel insurance policy. We are sorry that your policy did not meet your expectations on this occasion. Kind regards Southdowns Sales and Service

Simplicity.

Simplicity. Straight forward, easy to complete in minutes

Date of experience : 09 April 2024

great manner

great manner, deal with problem quickly

Date of experience : 09 May 2024

Found the perfect cover for my holiday

Found the perfect cover for my holiday. Easy to purchase, documents easy to understand and at a great price

Date of experience : 21 October 2023

Very helpful with explaining our policy…

Very helpful with explaining our policy with our medical issues.

Date of experience : 01 May 2024

Great value insurance cover

Easy to fill in your info well presented good value insurance with good cover

Date of experience : 03 January 2024

Easy to use

Easy to use, quick confirmation of payment, prompt receipt of email details of policy

Date of experience : 07 January 2024

Quick & Easy…

Very easy to answer the required questions and was set and ready almost instantly.

Date of experience : 06 January 2024

Competitive travel insurance offers

Competitive travel insurance offers. User friendly website - clear and helpful. Easy to complete application and prompt issue of policy.

Date of experience : 03 November 2023

My goto travel insurance company

Phone answered in good time by pleasant lady. Dealt with my query swiftly and above expectations

Date of experience : 02 January 2024

Straight forward

Straight forward, responsive, focused, gave me what I needed really quickly.

Date of experience : 15 November 2023

Had previously used them for travel…

Had previously used them for travel insurance. Had the cover I required at a cheap price. Easy to get

Date of experience : 09 November 2023

Very good cover & easy to use site

Very good cover, an easy website to use, no fuss, short sweet, and to the point.

Date of experience : 04 April 2024

They are really unhelpful company who don’t allow you to upgrade your policy. Customer service don’t appear to actually read emails before replying. To follow up on your reply, I didn't feel it hadn't been read, rather it hadn't been read as you wouldn't have detailed the 14-day cooling off period as it was clearly past that. Another example of poor customer service.

Date of experience : 21 November 2023

Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that you feel our communication had not been read. Our initial reply to your communication confirmed that we are not always able to provide upgrades or extensions to existing policies midterm as these are subject to the eligibility criteria of our insurer, AXA. We also advised that If we were unable to provide an upgrade or extension, we could discuss alternative solutions. We are sorry that we were unable to meet your expectations on this occasion due to the underwriters’ criteria and that the alternative option presented did not meet your travel insurance needs. Thank you for the time taken to share your thoughts. Best wishes Southdowns Sales and Service

Value for money

Value for money, although price has increased due to a few existing conditions

Date of experience : 16 November 2023

It was very easy to get insurance…

It was very easy to get insurance cover, I can't put any other comment.

Date of experience : 06 November 2023

Easy on line

Easy on line. Straightforward. Good cover

Date of experience : 16 April 2024

Renewal again

As previous calls, staff are always helpful and polite. I have to call for medical screening, always done in professional manner.

Date of experience : 01 November 2023

Very helpful

Hayley was extremely helpful explaining the policy & answering all of the questions that I had which has reassured me prior to my holiday in March

Date of experience : 29 January 2024

It was very easy, just had to phone you to confirm my medical disclosure

Date of experience : 30 October 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-situation-local-area-reports/solent-and-south-downs-water-situation-report-may-2024-summary

Solent and South Downs ( SSD ) had above average rainfall in May, receiving 138% (77mm) of the long term average ( LTA ) rainfall (55.6mm). Monthly mean river flows across SSD ranged from normal to exceptionally high. End of month groundwater levels ranged from above normal to exceptionally high. Soils across SSD ended the month wetter than the average for May. End of month reservoir stocks at Ardingly Reservoir (Ouse) and at Arlington Reservoir (Cuckmere) were both above average.

2. Rainfall

SSD had above average rainfall in May, receiving 138% (77mm) of the LTA (55.6mm).

The highest rainfall, 36.6mm, was measured at Ringmer (Ouse) on 5 May. The most wide spread distribution of rain of the month was on 13 May with about 18% of the month total across the area. Five days (1, 5, 6, 13 and 25 May) accounted for over 60% of the month total rainfall. There was a dry period between 7 and 12 of May, when less than 1% of the month total rainfall was recorded.

During the last 4 month period, between February and May, SSD area and 13 of our 14 areal rainfall units received record amount of rainfall:

• East Hampshire Chalk
• West Sussex Chalk
• East Sussex Chalk
• Isle of Wight
• Western Rother Greensand
• Hampshire Tertiaries
• Sussex Coast

While Pevensey Level recorded the third highest rainfall totals in the last 4 months

The last 12 months and 17 months periods were also the wettest on record for SSD area, since 1871.

The last 6 months, 9 months, 15 months and 18 months periods were the second wettest on record for SSD area, since 1871.

3. Soil moisture deficit and recharge

Soils across SSD ended the month wetter than the average for May.

4. River flows

Monthly mean river flows across SSD ranged from normal to exceptionally high.

Flows were normal:

• River Cuckmere at Cowbeech

Flows were above normal:

• River Lymington at Brockenhurst

Flows were notably high:

• River Wallington at North Fareham
• River Rother at Iping Mill
• River Arun at Alfoldean

Flows were exceptionally high:

• River Test at Chilbolton
• River Test at Broadlands
• River Itchen at Allbrook and Highbridge
• River Meon at Mislingford
• River Adur at Sakeham
• River Ouse at Goldbridge

The recorded data for River Medina at Blackwater were incomplete.

The monthly mean flows were the highest on record at Allbrook and Highbridge (Itchen), at Chilbolton (Test), at Sakeham (Adur) and at Goldbridge (Ouse) since 1959, 1960, 1989, 1967 respectively.

The monthly mean flows for May were the second highest for River Meon at Mislingford since 1958. Also, the monthly mean flows were the third highest for River Test at Broadlands and for river Wallington at North Fareham, since 1958 and 1976.

5. Groundwater levels     

End of month groundwater levels ranged from above normal to exceptionally high.

Groundwater levels were above normal at:

• Carisbrooke Castle (Isle of Wight)
• Beeding Hill (West Sussex Chalk)
• Cornish Farm (East Sussex Chalk)

Groundwater levels were notably high at:

• Harting Common (Western Rother Greensand)
• Chilgrove (West Sussex Chalk)
• Houndean Bottom (East Sussex Chalk)

Groundwater levels were exceptionally high at:

• Clanville Gate (Test Chalk)
• Lopcombe Corner (Test Chalk)
• Preston Candover (East Hampshire Chalk)
• West Meon (East Hampshire Chalk)
• Catherington (East Hampshire Chalk)
• Youngwoods Copse (Isle of Wight)

Groundwater levels for May were the second highest on record at Clanville Gate, Lopcombe Corner and West Meon, since 1966, 1963 and 1986, respectively. The groundwater levels were the third highest on record at Youngwoods Copse and at Preston Candover since 1978 and 1975.

6. Reservoir stocks

End of month reservoir stocks were both above average. Ardingly Reservoir (Ouse) was at 98.5% of total capacity ( LTA 97%) and Arlington Reservoir (Cuckmere) was at 94.9% of total capacity ( LTA 93.21%).

7. Environmental impact 

In the middle of May one licence restrictions came into force on the river Meon, this is a reduced abstraction rates restriction, not a hands off flow.

There were 7 Flood Alerts issued in May. All in Sussex and all fluvial.

There were 3 Flood Warnings issued in May. All in Sussex and all fluvial.

Author: [email protected]

Contact details: 03708 506 506

All data are provisional and may be subject to revision. The views expressed in this document are not necessarily those of the Environment Agency. Its officers, servants or agents accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from the interpretation or use of the information, or reliance upon views contained in this report.

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