England has recovered from drought after four months of above-average rainfall, but the Environment Agency warns of ‘flash drought’ risks and increased ‘weather whiplash’ between flooding and dry spells due to climate change
England has bounced back from drought following four months of above average rainfall, which battered many parts of the country with flooding, the Environment Agency said.
East Anglia has become the final region to emerge from the recovery phase following drought, with all areas in England now classified as being in “normal” status.
The announcement comes after the latest meeting of the National Drought Group of the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union, Canal and River Trust, anglers, hydrologists and conservation experts.
The Environment Agency said the risk of drought in 2026 was currently low but there remained the possibility of “flash drought”, triggered by a sudden combination of extremely low rainfall and high temperatures – conditions experienced in summer 2022.
And there was a warning that climate change would bring increased “weather whiplash”, with more rapid shifts between drought and flooding.
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Heavy rainfall has triggered widespread flooding in regions such as the South West this winter.
It is a stark contrast from conditions across much of England last year, as widespread drought took hold amid the driest spring for 132 years, and a hot dry summer with record temperatures and repeated heatwaves.
Farmers battled to grow crops, river and stream habitats were damaged, and hosepipe bans were imposed for millions of households. National Drought Group chairwoman and director of water at the Environment Agency, Helen Wakeham, said: “Last year’s drought was challenging for everyone, affecting our farmers, our wildlife, and our public water supplies.
“The winter rainfall has helped our depleted reservoirs and rivers to recover and, whilst we welcome the improved picture, we are mindful of the problems that flooding brings too.
“We enter spring in a favourable position, but we can never be complacent.
“We expect water companies to carry on quickly fixing burst pipes and to be ready to enact their drought plans in a timely manner, if needed,” she added.
February saw 170% of the long-term average rainfall, whilst March has been drier, recording 53% of the month’s average thus far.
Reservoir storage now stands at 95% for England, marginally above average for this time of year, though Abberton and Hanningfield reservoirs in Essex, Grafham reservoir in Cambridgeshire and the Dove Group in Derbyshire remain below average, officials confirmed.
Soils have been fully replenished, whilst groundwater and river flows are normal or above normal throughout England, all regions are out of drought and no water company restrictions are currently in place.
However, whilst the South West experienced its second highest December to February winter rainfall since records commenced in 1871, triggering extensive flooding, East Anglia’s river and groundwater levels have been slower to bounce back from the drought. Water minister Emma Hardy stated: “Despite our recent wet weather, we must still talk about drought.
“Our climate is changing, droughts are becoming increasingly common, and we need to be prepared.
“We expect water companies to update their draft statutory drought plans by the end of March and plan for more extreme dry weather – in the hope it never comes.”
