Three English Counties Record Wettest Winter Ever Amid Storm Surge
Provisional figures from the Met Office have confirmed that the winter of 2025/26 was the wettest on record for three English counties: Cornwall, Leicestershire, and the West Midlands. This marks a significant meteorological event, with data stretching back to 1836 showing unprecedented rainfall levels in these regions.
Southern England Endures Fourth Wettest Winter
Southern England as a whole experienced its fourth wettest winter since comparable records began nearly two centuries ago. Dorset and Warwickshire recorded their second wettest winters, highlighting a pattern of extreme precipitation across central and southern parts of the country.
The past three months saw a succession of low-pressure weather systems moving across the UK from the Atlantic, bringing repeated bouts of wet and windy conditions. Three named storms in January – Goretti, Ingrid, and Chandra – delivered intense downpours to many areas, resulting in widespread flooding and significant travel disruptions.
Persistent Rainfall and Regional Variations
Rainfall persisted through much of February, with drier and sunnier conditions only arriving towards the end of the month. At a national level, no records were broken; the UK accumulated 390.1mm of rain during winter 2025/26, which is 13% above the long-term seasonal average but well below the all-time high of 539.9mm set in 2014.
However, there were stark regional disparities. England received 42% more rain than usual over the past three months, while Scotland finished the winter 14% below its seasonal average. Within England, a clear geographical divide emerged: rainfall in the north was 17% above average, but in the south, it surged to 58% above average.
"The wet conditions were particularly pronounced across southern and central England, where saturated ground from early season rainfall left areas more sensitive to impacts from further wet weather," explained the Met Office.
Impacts Across the UK Nations
Northern Ireland recorded 27% more rain than the long-term average, and Wales experienced 20% more rainfall. These figures underscore the widespread nature of the wet weather, though the effects were most severe in specific English counties.
The combination of early season saturation and subsequent storms exacerbated flooding risks, leading to operational challenges for local authorities and emergency services. Communities in the hardest-hit areas faced prolonged disruptions, with infrastructure strain and agricultural impacts likely to be felt in the coming months.
As climate patterns continue to evolve, such extreme weather events prompt renewed discussions on resilience and adaptation strategies across the UK.
