The areal information on this page, consists of data derived from the full network of over 3,000 stations for November 2004 to September 2006 and initial network of around 180 stations from October 2006. Comparisons are made with the historical series, which dates back to 1914.
Met Office defined district that is used in the table below: Districts map
| Period | Rainfall (mm) |
Rainfall as % of 61-90 average |
Information where value is
ranked in top 10 driest or wettest (series back to 1914). |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2004 | 129.6 | 173 | - |
| November 2004 | 34.8 | 44 | 8th driest in series. Driest since 1988. |
| December 2004 | 59.3 | 74 | - |
| January 2005 | 39.3 | 51 | - |
| February 2005 | 24.8 | 47 | - |
| March 2005 | 51.3 | 82 | - |
| April 2005 | 50.1 | 96 | - |
| May 2005 | 33.0 | 59 | - |
| June 2005 | 34.5 | 63 | - |
| July 2005 | 61.5 | 126 | - |
| August 2005 | 55.1 | 93 | - |
| September 2005 | 40.4 | 61 | - |
| October 2005 | 98.0 | 131 | - |
| November 2005 | 54.4 | 69 | - |
| December 2005 | 69.2 | 86 | - |
| January 2006 | 23.4 | 30 | 8th driest in series. Driest since 1997. |
| February 2006 | 57.5 | 109 | - |
| March 2006 | 58.6 | 94 | - |
| April 2006 | 38.9 | 75 | - |
| May 2006 | 95.9 | 171 | 8th wettest in series. Wettest since 2000. |
| June 2006 | 20.9 | 38 | - |
| July 2006 | 39.5 | 81 | - |
| August 2006 | 61.9 | 104 | - |
| September 2006 | 70.9 | 106 | - |
| October 2006 | 111.1 | 148 | - |
| November 2006 | 107.3 | 136 | - |
| December 2006 | 108.6 | 135 | - |
| Period | Rainfall (mm) |
Rainfall as % of 61-90 average |
Information where value is
ranked in top 10 driest or wettest (series back to 1914). |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2004 | 199.4 | 90 | - |
| Winter 2004/2005 | 123.4 | 59 | 9th driest in series. Driest since 1991/1992. |
| Spring 2005 | 134.4 | 79 | - |
| Summer 2005 | 151.2 | 93 | - |
| Autumn 2005 | 192.8 | 87 | - |
| Winter 2005/2006 | 150.1 | 71 | - |
| Spring 2006 | 193.4 | 114 | - |
| Summer 2006 | 122.3 | 75 | - |
| Autumn 2006 | 289.2 | 131 | - |
| Annual 2005 | 611.7 | 80 | 4th driest in series. Driest since 1973. |
| Annual 2006 | 794.5 | 104 | - |
Areal rainfall accumulations, for periods beginning November 2004, which was the first month of the current dry spell.
| Period | Rainfall (mm) |
Rainfall as % of 61-90 average |
Compared to previous fixed periods (starting Nov) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 04 - Apr 05 | 259.5 | 64 |
5th driest Nov-Apr in series. Driest since 1975/1976. |
| Nov 04 - May 05 | 292.5 | 64 |
4th driest Nov-May in series. Driest since 1975/1976. |
| Nov 04 - Jun 05 | 327.1 | 64 |
5th driest Nov-Jun in series. Driest since 1975/1976. |
| Nov 04 - Jul 05 | 388.6 | 69 |
8th driest Nov-Jul in series. Driest since 1988/1989. |
| Nov 04 - Aug 05 | 443.7 | 71 |
8th driest Nov-Aug in series. Driest since 1988/1989. |
| Nov 04 - Sep 05 | 484.2 | 70 |
8th driest Nov-Sep in series. Driest since 1988/1989. |
| Nov 04 - Oct 05 | 582.2 | 76 |
6th driest Nov-Oct in series. Driest since 1988/1989. |
| Nov 04 - Nov 05 | 636.5 | 75 | 4th driest Nov-Nov (13-month period) in series. Driest since 1988/1989. |
| Nov 04 - Dec 05 | 705.8 | 76 | 3rd driest Nov-Dec (14-month period) in series. Driest since 1932/1933. |
| Nov 04 - Jan 06 | 729.2 | 73 | 2nd driest Nov-Jan (15-month period) in series. Driest since 1920/1922. |
| Nov 04 - Feb 06 | 786.6 | 75 | 3rd driest Nov-Feb (16-month period) in series. Driest since 1932/1934. |
| Nov 04 - Mar 06 | 845.3 | 76 | 3rd driest Nov-Mar (17-month period) in series. Driest since 1932/1934. |
| Nov 04 - Apr 06 | 884.2 | 76 | 3rd driest Nov-Apr (18-month period) in series. Driest since 1932/1934. |
| Nov 04 - May 06 | 980.1 | 80 | 5th driest Nov-May (19-month period) in series. Driest since 1995/1997. |
| Nov 04 - Jun 06 | 1001.0 | 78 | 4th driest Nov-Jun (20-month period) in series. Driest since 1942/1944. |
| Nov 04 - Jul 06 | 1040.5 | 78 | 3rd driest Nov-Jul (21-month period) in series. Driest since 1932/1934. |
| Nov 04 - Aug 06 | 1102.4 | 79 | 4th driest Nov-Aug (22-month period) in series. Driest since 1974/1976. |
| Nov 04 - Sep 06 | 1173.2 | 81 | 5th driest Nov-Sep (23-month period) in series. Driest since 1988/1990. |
| Nov 04 - Oct 06 | 1284.3 | 84 | 7th driest Nov-Oct (24-month period) in series. Driest since 1995/1997. |
| Nov 04 - Nov 06 | 1391.6 | 87 | 8th driest Nov-Nov (25-month period) in series. Driest since 1988/1990. |
| Nov 04 - Dec 06 | 1500.2 | 89 | 10th driest Nov-Dec (26-month period) in series. Driest since 1988/1990. |
Looking at the dry spell from a hydrological point of view
is more complicated because the conventional water year starting
in October does not correspond very closely to the natural replenishment
period for reservoirs and groundwater resources in the English
lowlands. After
consultation with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (Wallingford),
it was decided that the period starting November would provide
the best characterisation of the severity and extent of the
dry spell.
For comparison purposes, rainfall information for the following
additional periods starting October 2004 or October 2005 (October
start of conventional water year) have been produced.
| Period | Rainfall (mm) |
Rainfall as % of 61-90 average |
Compared to previous fixed periods (starting Oct) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 04 - Mar 05 | 339.1 | 79 | - |
|
Oct 04 - Sep 05 (conventional water year) |
613.8 | 80 |
10th driest Oct-Sep in series. Driest since 1995/1996. |
| Oct 04 - Mar 06 | 974.9 | 82 | 6th driest Oct-Mar (18 month period) in series. Driest since 1995/1997. |
|
Oct 04 - Sep 06 (2 consecutive conventional water years) |
1302.8 | 85 | 10th driest Oct-Sep (24 month period) in series. Driest since 1995/1997. |
| Oct 05 - Mar 06 | 361.1 | 85 | - |
|
Oct 05 - Sep 06 (conventional water year) |
689.1 | 90 | - |
