Record breaking rainfall
3 Mar 2020 01:51 PM
Wettest February on record and 5th wettest Winter.
February 2020 has been the wettest February on record for UK, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the second wettest (behind February 1990) for Scotland. It has also been the fifth wettest of any calendar month in a series from 1862 behind only October 1903 (227mm), December 2015 (217mm), November 2009 (215mm), and December 1929 (213mm).
| Provisional February 2020 statistics |
Rainfall |
| Area |
Actual mm |
% Anomaly 1981/2010
|
| UK |
209.1 |
237 |
| England |
154.9 |
258 |
| Wales |
288.4 |
260 |
| Scotland |
275.6 |
213 |
| Northern Ireland |
222.7 |
267 |
‘Anomaly’ – refers to the anomaly relative to a 1981-2010 baseline climatology given as a percentage
Three named storms crossed the UK during February, Ciara, Dennis and Jorge. The heavy rainfall throughout the month resulted in some severe impacts with many areas flooded, including parts of Yorkshire, Wales and the Midlands.
John Curtin, Executive Director for Flood Risk Management at the Environment Agency yesterday said:
“Record February rainfall and river levels have tested the nation’s flood defences; however we have been able to protect over 80,000 homes thanks to the action we have taken.
“Every flooded home is a personal tragedy, and with a changing climate we will need to become more resilient to flooding. I’d urge the public to be aware of their flood risk, sign up to flood warnings, and make a flood plan if they are at risk. “
Click here for the full press release