Period: From February 2025      Issued on 11.02.2025 using data to the end of January 2025

Rainfall:

January was dry in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of northwest England and north Wales. Elsewhere it was typically wetter than average, particularly in southern England and parts of northern England. The forecast (issued by Met Office on 27.01.2025) indicates the chance of a wet February is slightly higher than normal, especially in the north. February-April has a higher-than-normal chance of being wet due to an increased likelihood of westerly winds.

River flows:

River flows in January were below normal in western Scotland, while across eastern Scotland and the far north of England flows were mostly in the normal range. Further south, river flows were normal to above normal, with notably or exceptionally high flows in some catchments. The outlook for February is for normal to above normal flows in the northwest while normal flows predominate elsewhere – although above normal flows are likely to persist in parts of southern England, particularly In groundwater-dominated catchments. The February-April outlook is for a similar picture, but with greater likelihood of above normal flows in the north and west, reflecting the rainfall forecasts for this period.

Groundwater:

Groundwater levels in January were above normal across much of the Chalk aquifer of central southern and southeast England, and normal to above normal elsewhere. Notably high levels were registered at some sites in central and southern England. The February Outlook is for a similar picture, with normal to above normal levels predominating across the UK, with above normal levels most likely in the Chalk aquifer of southern England. Over the February-April period, normal to above normal levels are also expected. Many aquifer areas will see levels receding into the normal range, although levels in parts of the southern Chalk aquifer are likely to remain above normal, reflecting recent rainfall.