While April was characteristically changeable and Scotland saw above average rainfall it was a dry month overall. The UK registered 77% of average April rainfall but England received only 38%, and parts of the south and east were significantly drier. April also saw above average sunshine and, despite some wintry interludes, was warm, 1.1°C above the typical April average temperature. England and Wales both registered their sixth warmest Aprils on record, in a series from 1884, although April 2025 was warmer. Away from Scotland, the dry April follows a below average March, with the spring of 2026 so far standing in stark contrast to the very wet autumn/winter of 2025-2026. The warm and persistently dry weather triggered steep declines in soil moisture, bringing concerns for agriculture and heightened fire risk (the final week saw wildfires reported in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and upland Wales, e.g. the Elan valley). River flows also receded, with below normal April flows in many southern and eastern catchments. While there were slight decreases in some reservoirs, stocks remained close to average at most impoundments and above average at the national scale. Groundwater levels generally continued to decline during April, but levels remained in the normal range across most of the Chalk aquifer and mostly normal or above normal elsewhere. Early May saw largely dry weather and continued river flow recessions. The latest UK Hydrological Outlook indicates current below normal flows in southern and central England are likely to persist and without significant late spring rainfall could continue into summer.