SOUTHPORT, UK. September 2nd, 2026 – The Met Office has unveiled its list of named storms for the 2026/27 season, with Storm Austen first on the list. A Southport roofing company is urging homeowners to use the period before the first major Atlantic storm arrives to check the less visible parts of their roofs, warning that fixings and metalwork can deteriorate long before the slates themselves show obvious signs of failure.
Roof Repairs Southport, which has carried out more than 1,000 repairs across Southport, Sefton and West Lancashire, says the area’s reputation for harsh weather can lead homeowners to focus too heavily on rainfall when assessing the condition of their roofs.
Rainfall itself is not necessarily the main concern. Crosby has the closest long-running weather record for this section of the coast, with its Met Office 1991-2020 average at around 824mm per year. That is below Manchester’s figure and considerably lower than Cumbria. In terms of rainfall alone, Southport is relatively unremarkable.
Its exposed coastal position is a different matter. With little higher ground between the town and the Irish Sea apart from the dunes, Atlantic depressions can reach the coast with considerable force while carrying salt-laden air. Merseyside was placed under an amber wind warning during Storm Éowyn on 24 January 2025, described by the Met Office as one of the strongest storms to affect the UK in more than a decade. Storm Amy produced gusts exceeding 92mph across the north west last season.
“Salt does almost nothing to a slate,” said Dave of Roof Repairs Southport. “It is relentless on everything holding the slate on. We take roofs off in Birkdale and Ainsdale where the covering is in good order and the nails have simply rusted away underneath it. The same roof six miles inland at Ormskirk would have years left in it. People look up, see intact slates, assume they are fine. Then one gust off the estuary takes a row of them off in a night.”
There is another local issue that roofing contractors from further inland may not immediately consider. The substantial dune system stretching behind Southport, Birkdale, Ainsdale and Formby can become a source of fine windblown sand. Westerly winds carry this material beyond the beach and into gutters, roof valleys and flat-roof outlets. Normally, it would simply wash away. Combined with moss and leaves, however, it can form a dense blockage that prevents water from draining properly.
Roof valleys can be particularly vulnerable. When drainage becomes restricted, water can be driven beneath slates on both sides of the valley. The company says staining appearing on two separate ceilings during the same period of wet weather is a familiar sign and can easily be mistaken for two unrelated leaks.
The start of storm season also brings another warning. Cold-call roof inspections following severe weather remain a longstanding doorstep scam, with Sefton often seeing renewed activity after major gales.
“Nobody legitimate finds your roof by knocking on your door the morning after you have experienced storm damage,” Dave said. “If someone tells you they have spotted damage from the pavement and can start today, that is the whole trick. Take the number, close the door, and ring somebody you chose yourself.”
Four things the company suggests homeowners check from ground level before the weather turns:
- Inspect the roof edges rather than concentrating on the centre. Wind tends to work beneath ridges, hips, verges and the first course above the gutter, while the middle of a slope is generally less exposed to lifting.
- Check the condition of metal components. On coastal properties, corroded gutter brackets and flashings can provide a better indication of roof age than the visible condition of the slates.
- Homes within two miles of the coast should consider clearing gutters twice annually rather than relying on the usual once-a-year routine.
- Pay particular attention to the seaward side of the property. West-facing roof pitches receive the greatest exposure to salt and wind-driven abrasion and can deteriorate faster than sheltered elevations.
Repairs on the Sefton coast typically start at around £150 for a single minor fault and can reach several thousand pounds where structural work is required. Full re-roofing projects are priced individually following a survey.
