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This year has been exceptionally wet in parts of the UK, with Cardinham in Cornwall experiencing rain every single day so far. Similarly, Katesbridge in County Down and Aboyne in Aberdeenshire saw nearly four times the average rainfall for January. This pattern continues into February, with Aboyne already surpassing double the usual rainfall for this month, even though we haven’t reached the halfway point yet.
Despite the recent heavy precipitation, this winter is unlikely to surpass the wettest winter ever recorded, which took place in 2013-14. During that period, the southwest of England and South Wales witnessed 691mm of rainfall, leading to widespread and severe flooding. By comparison, the total rainfall for December 2025 and January 2026 combined stands at 415mm, indicating the current season still falls short of the earlier record.
A notable similarity between the current winter and 2013-14 is the damage caused to the railway line at Dawlish, which connects southwest England with the rest of the UK’s network. You might recall the track was left dangerously suspended above ground in February 2014 when storms destroyed the sea wall protecting it. Unfortunately, this winter has also seen a section of the sea wall collapse under relentless storm impacts, causing some disruption.
The persistent heavy rain can be explained by weather patterns that developed around mid-January. A blocking high-pressure system formed over Scandinavia and has remained stationary since then, preventing low-pressure systems from passing beyond the UK. These slow-moving systems brought prolonged wet conditions, with south-west winds affecting the southern UK and south-easterly winds influencing the north, shaping the distribution of rainfall. Notably, the wetness hasn’t been universal, as northwest England and parts of western Scotland experienced a significantly drier January, with some Highland areas recording minimal rainfall.
This Scandinavian high-pressure block is expected to shift this week, allowing colder air and some hill snow to reach northern regions. More typical weather for the season will follow, with the Atlantic jet stream moving back to its usual position northwest of Scotland rather than near Morocco. Rain will persist, especially in western Scotland, but it will no longer be as relentless. The southwest of England should see some dry and sunny intervals between showers. Toward late February, there is some indication that a high-pressure system might develop near the UK, potentially bringing more settled weather after a persistently wet and dull period
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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