England Needs 120% Rainfall by April 2027 to End Drought as 75% Stays Affected

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Sep 17

Nearly three-quarters of England remains in drought, and new Environment Agency research says about 120% of normal rainfall is needed over the next seven months for full recovery by spring 2027.
Groundwater levels are still low and reservoir storage was just under 57% last week—around a fifth below normal—after an exceptionally dry spring and summer compounded by repeated heatwaves.
Met Office forecasts point to a wetter-than-average autumn, but even that most likely scenario could leave Devon and Cornwall and East Anglia still in drought at the start of spring 2027.
The agency puts the chance of around half of England still being in drought next spring at roughly one in four, though the risk of a severe drought in coming months is only 1%.
Recent rain has brought limited relief across the UK: four areas on Scotland's east coast are at significant water scarcity, Wales remains in drought, and forecasters warn the south and east may turn drier again later this month.