October brought mixed conditions: a spell of high pressure and persistent cloud (“anticyclonic gloom”) was framed by wet and windy periods. UK rainfall was near average overall, but this masked contrasts: totals were above average in Northern Ireland, western Scotland, and the far south-east of England, but widely below average elsewhere. River flows remained below normal in eastern Britain and southern England, and exceptionally low in parts of the Cotswolds and East Anglia. Elsewhere, they were generally normal, with some rivers above normal in Northern Ireland and western Scotland. Soils continued to wet up across the country, and soil moisture deficits in most northern and western areas were eliminated. Groundwater levels were below normal to exceptionally low across central and northern Scotland, the east coast of Britain and southern England. Localised recharge occurred in Northern Ireland and along the west coast of Britain following recent wet conditions, but levels elsewhere continued to decline. Reservoir stocks rose slightly overall but remained below average for the time of year (e.g. Wimbleball, Ardingly and East Lothian were all 35% below average or more). The Hydrological Outlook indicates normal to below normal flows in eastern Scotland and southern and eastern England over the next three months, with particularly low flows expected in groundwater-fed rivers. Elsewhere, flows are likely to be normal to above normal. Despite a wetter than average start to November for many, if winter rainfall as a whole is below average, low flows will persist into 2026, limiting groundwater recharge, and delaying recovery before the spring and summer, particularly in south-east England.