In comparison to the summer months, September was wetter with temperatures nearer average. Rainfall was 132% of average for the UK, with most regions above average. River flows were above normal to exceptionally high in Northern Ireland, Wales and northern and south-west England, whilst below normal to exceptionally low flows were seen in northern and eastern Scotland and south-eastern England. Though soils wetted in all regions, COSMOS-UK sites in south-east England remained drier than normal at month-end. Groundwater levels generally remained below normal across the UK and continued to decline apart from western boreholes where some localised recharge was observed. In most impoundments, stocks rose relative to average and in some cases, stocks increased to above average by month-end (notably so at Northern Command Zone, Daer, Silent Valley). However, reservoirs from north-east Scotland to southern England remained below average at month-end – some substantially so, including East Lothian (its lowest for September in a series from 1988). Despite recent wetter conditions, the impacts of the dry spring/summer persist, with sustained rainfall still needed to fully recover the deficits that have built up since the start of the year. At the end of September, five Environment Agency areas remained in drought and seven catchments in north-east Scotland remained at significant water scarcity, whilst by the 26th, all areas in Wales were in recovery from drought/prolonged dry weather. The Hydrological Outlook over the next three months suggests a continuation of normal to below normal flows and groundwater levels in eastern Scotland and the south and east of England, whilst elsewhere they are likely to be normal to above normal.