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ClimateQuiet 8d · day 9

UK braces for 10-day dry spell despite record wet week, drought persists

High pressure settles over Britain after storms Austen and Bóelo delivered England's wettest week in two years, but reservoirs remain critically low.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 8d ago8 pieces5 likes & upvotes NewswiresGoogle NewsMastodon

What to know

  • Storms Austen and Bóelo gave England its wettest week in two years, with October rainfall reaching 111% of the long-term average.
  • Despite the rain, most of England and Wales remain in drought, with parts of southern England in severe drought and 11 reservoirs 'exceptionally low'.
  • A blocking high-pressure system is forecast to bring up to 10 consecutive dry days into early November, slowing further reservoir recovery.
  • The Environment Agency says 20% above-average rainfall over the next six months is needed to end the drought by spring, with Devon, Cornwall and East Anglia most at risk of continued drought.

Philip Duffy Chief Executive, Environment AgencyEnvironment Agency UK water and environmental regulatorNational Drought Group UK drought coordination bodySimon King BBC weather presenter

UK braces for 10-day dry spell despite record wet week, drought persists
bbc.co.uk

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 4 pieces in two hours at Oct 30, 9 AM; 8 pieces over 9 days (8 articles) Oct 30, 9 AM — 4 pieces · 4 articles — Google News 2, Newswires 2Oct 30, 11 AM — quietOct 30, 1 PM — quietOct 30, 3 PM — quietOct 30, 5 PM — quietOct 30, 7 PM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Newswires 3Oct 30, 9 PM — quietOct 30, 11 PM — quietOct 31, 1 AM — quietOct 31, 3 AM — quietOct 31, 5 AM — quietOct 31, 7 AM — quietOct 31, 9 AM — quietOct 31, 11 AM — quietOct 31, 1 PM — quietOct 31, 3 PM — quietOct 31, 5 PM — quietOct 31, 7 PM — quietOct 31, 9 PM — quietOct 31, 11 PM — quietNov 1, 1 AM — quietNov 1, 2 AM — quietNov 1, 4 AM — quietNov 1, 6 AM — quietNov 1, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Nov 1, 10 AM — quietNov 1, 12 PM — quietNov 1, 2 PM — quietNov 1, 4 PM — quietNov 1, 6 PM — quietNov 1, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 10 PM — quietNov 2, 12 AM — quietNov 2, 2 AM — quietNov 2, 4 AM — quietNov 2, 6 AM — quietNov 2, 8 AM — quietNov 2, 10 AM — quietNov 2, 12 PM — quietNov 2, 2 PM — quietNov 2, 4 PM — quietNov 2, 6 PM — quietNov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 10 PM — quietNov 3, 12 AM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 4 AM — quietNov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quiet 1
Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6yesterdaynow · 11:25 AM ET
  1. background

    Forecasters flag possible return of wet, windy weather by mid-November — Signs suggest high pressure could loosen its hold around mid-November, allowing Atlantic low-pressure systems back in, with an intensifying El Niño event linked to wetter, stormier conditions in the UK during late autumn and early winter.

  2. background

    BBC forecasts up to 10 days without rain as high pressure builds — A blocking area of high pressure is expected to dominate UK weather into early November, bringing settled, largely dry and calm conditions with persistent mist and fog, and little prospect of significant rainfall.

  3. 1

    Environment Agency says wettest week still leaves England in drought

    Despite October rainfall reaching 111% of the long-term average, Wales and most of England remain in drought, with parts of southern England in severe drought; 11 reservoirs are classed as 'exceptionally low', including Wimbleball and Ardingly at under 20% capacity.

    “need sustained rainfall to recover…”
    — Philip Duffy
    1. 2 outlets Wettest week for two years but still not enough rain to get out of drought

      first by BBC, 9d ago · also BBC Science

      3 more headlines
  4. background

    Storms Austen and Bóelo deliver England's wettest week in two years — The first two named storms of the season, along with another area of low pressure, brought rainfall totals ranging from 38mm in central England to 87mm in the south-west, the wettest week across England since October 2024 according to Environment Agency monitoring.