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Environment & Climate

England needs seven wetter-than-average months for drought recovery, research suggests

BBC News reports that the Environment Agency says England needs around 120% of typical rainfall through April for all areas to emerge from drought.

Updated Sep 17, 2026 · 02:38 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • The Environment Agency says England needs around 120% of typical rainfall through April for all areas to recover from drought.[BBC News]
  • BBC News reports that recent rain has provided some relief, but England’s reservoir storage stood at just under 57% last week.[BBC News]
  • Research suggests Devon, Cornwall and East Anglia could remain in drought at the start of spring 2027 under the most likely rainfall scenario.[BBC News]
  • Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy urged everyone to use less water to help accelerate recovery.[BBC News]

Key facts

  • The Environment Agency says around 120% of typical rainfall is needed through April for all areas of England to leave drought.[BBC News]
  • BBC News reports that groundwater levels remain low and England’s reservoir storage was just under 57% last week, around a fifth below normal for the time of year.[BBC News]
  • Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy said a few weeks of rain cannot reverse the shortfall from the dry spring and summer.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Research suggests Devon, Cornwall and East Anglia could still be in drought at the start of spring 2027 even under the most likely rainfall scenario, which anticipates a wetter-than-normal autumn.[BBC News]
  • The research suggests roughly a one-in-four chance that around half of England will remain in drought next spring, but currently only a 1% chance of severe drought in the coming months.[BBC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.