UK Faces Continued Flooding After Record-Breaking Wet Start to 2026
Forecasters have confirmed the United Kingdom has experienced an exceptionally wet beginning to the year, with record-breaking rainfall and no indication of a prolonged dry spell for at least the next week. Nearly one hundred areas have been issued flooding warnings for Monday as downpours continue to sweep across the nation.
Unprecedented January Rainfall Records
According to the Met Office, January 2026 became the wettest January on record for Cornwall in south-west England and County Down in Northern Ireland. Many weather stations reported a sense that winter has been stuck on repeat, with twenty-six stations setting new records for January rainfall. The UK has already received eighty-nine percent of the average rainfall expected for meteorological winter, which encompasses December, January, and February, while England has exceeded this average by eleven percent.
Persistent Unsettled Weather Pattern
Chief forecaster Neil Armstrong explained, The past few weeks have felt relentlessly wet, with repeated bands of rain sweeping in from the Atlantic and creating increasingly saturated ground across large parts of the UK. This persistent unsettled pattern has been driven by a strong, south-shifted jet stream steering low pressure systems directly towards the UK.
Flooding and Travel Disruption Expected
Flooding and significant travel disruption are anticipated across large portions of southern England and Wales on Monday. The Met Office forecasts ten to fifteen millimetres of rain falling widely, with up to twenty to thirty millimetres possible in exposed regions. The Environment Agency has issued warnings for expected flooding in ninety-eight areas, primarily across southern England, around the southern Welsh border, and in the East Midlands, with possible flooding in an additional one hundred seventy-five areas.
No Immediate Relief in Sight
Senior operational meteorologist Simon Partridge stated, The weather is set to remain unsettled throughout the remainder of the week with further spells of wet and windy weather for many areas of the UK. He added that with the substantial rainfall already recorded this year, many regions are highly sensitive to additional precipitation, making further weather warnings likely as the week progresses. Currently, there is no sign of any prolonged dry weather for the next seven to ten days.
Areas Most Affected by Continuous Rain
Parts of Devon, Cornwall, Worcestershire, Somerset, and West Sussex have documented more than thirty consecutive days of rain. Specific locations such as North Wyke in Devon, Cardinham in Cornwall, and Astwood Bank in Worcestershire have experienced rainfall every single day of the year so far. This continuous wet weather has led to significant flooding incidents, including at Worcestershire County Cricket Club's ground, highlighting the widespread impact across various communities.
