Research and analysis

Dry weather and drought in England: 23 January to 26 February 2026

Updated 27 February 2026

Applies to England

1. Summary

Area drought status

Since the last briefing on 22 January, all Areas have moved to normal status apart from 3 catchments within East Anglia Area. These have moved from prolonged dry weather to recovery status (see section 2).

Current water situation

The first 3 weeks of February have seen no decrease in unsettled and wet conditions particularly across central and southern England. England has received 147% long term average (LTA) rainfall in the first 24 days of the month. With 4 days to go, the north-west has received average rainfall, while central England has received 185% LTA rainfall.

River flows have responded to the wet conditions over the autumn and winter. As of 24 February, all nationally reported sites are normal or higher for the time of year. River flows from a couple of groundwater dominated catchments in central southern England are exceptionally high for the time of year, with most other sites above normal for the time of year.

Soils remain saturated across all of England with all regions wetter than expected at this point in the year.

With significant groundwater recharge occurring in 2026, groundwater levels are now classed as normal or higher at all national indicator sites for week ending 24 February. Groundwater levels are now rising across East Anglia. They are currently exceptionally high for the time of year in:

• many of the chalk aquifers of the Wessex and South Downs and across Yorkshire
• the limestone in parts of Lincolnshire and Northants
• the sandstone aquifers of Cheshire and the West Midlands

Reservoir storage for England is now 92.8%, which is 0.6% above average for the time of year. Storage remains below average across east England and slightly below average across the south-east, but rising across both. Three reservoirs remain below 70% full, Hanningfield and Abberton in Essex and the Dove group in Derbyshire. Refill in these reservoirs has been impacted by water quality and operational issues.

Further details are available from Water situation reports for England.

Public water supply

The majority of water companies have seen good recovery and are now in business as usual. South East Water removed temporary use bans on 5 February. There are no customer water restrictions in place.

With a small number of reservoirs still below normal, residual risks remain for some water companies. Essex and Suffolk Water’s Essex water resources zone and Anglian Water’s Fenland, Norfolk Norwich & the Broads, and several Ruthamford water resources zones remain in drought level 1.

Agriculture

The wet weather over the winter has significantly improved the water resources situation for the agriculture sector. However, flooding in parts of the country has brought challenging conditions for farmers. Abstractors have sufficiently refilled irrigation reservoirs over the winter, except in parts of East Anglia. This is due to hands off flow conditions in force on some abstraction licences over the winter and below normal river flows in these local catchments.

The initial prospects for irrigation are good this spring for most parts of England. Irrigation prospects are expected to be moderate across East Anglia due to the slow recovery of groundwater in the chalk areas of North Norfolk. With further rainfall, it is expected that these prospects will improve.

Further details are available in the initial irrigation prospects report on the Farming Advice Service.

The latest weather forecast is available from Long-range forecast - Met Office. 

2. Area drought status

There have been nine changes in Area drought status since the last report on 22 January.

The following Areas have moved from recovery to normal status:

• Yorkshire (YOR)
• East Midlands (EMD)
• West Midlands (WMD)
• North East (NEA)
• Solent and South Downs (SSD)
• Thames (THM)
• Wessex (WSX)
• within East Anglia (EAN), five catchments (Upper and Bedford Ouse, Old Bedford and Middle Level, North Norfolk, Broadland Rivers, East Suffolk)

Within EAN, 3 catchments (Cam & Ely Ouse, North West Norfolk, Essex) have moved from prolonged dry weather to recovery status.

2.1 Areas in drought

No Areas are in drought status.

2.2 Areas in prolonged dry weather

No Areas are in prolonged dry weather status.

2.3 Areas in recovery

Three catchments within EAN are in recovery status:

• Cam & Ely Ouse
• North West Norfolk
• Essex

2.3 How the stages of drought response work

Each Area is reviewing its status depending on the triggers they have outlined in their drought plan.

More detail of how we manage drought, including our four stages of drought response, is available in Drought: how it is managed in England.

3. Drought readiness actions

The Environment Agency stood down its national Gold Command structure for drought on 22 January but continues to monitor residual risks and ensures it is prepared for the next drought.

The next National Drought Group meeting is scheduled for 23 March. That will focus on readiness for the summer (incorporating learning from 2025), the latest spray irrigation prospects for summer 2026 and a plan for continued communications.

With the improved water resources position, this is the penultimate dry weather and drought briefing. The final briefing is due on 26 March.

4. Contact us

Contact drought.national@environment-agency.gov.uk if you have questions about this report.