Submitted by Eugene Magee on
The first half of April was mild and unsettled for most of the UK, continuing the wet conditions established at the end of March. The last two weeks were cooler than average with comparatively drier weather. April as a whole saw close to average temperatures and above average rainfall, with notably high rainfall in south Scotland and northern England. April river flows remained high across the UK, with twice the average flows for some catchments in south Wales and south-west England. Groundwater levels remain very high across the UK, with a number of new maxima recorded, however, they are falling in the majority of locations and the seasonal recession has commenced across most aquifers. The water resources situation remains healthy with above average reservoir stocks at most impoundments and just above average at the national scale. The outlook for May-July suggests an increased likelihood of above normal flows across southern and eastern areas of the UK. Further rain at the start of May means flood risk remains elevated for the time of year
