UK sees sunniest spring on record as drought declared in England

WorldEnvironment
29 May 2025 • 7:13 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • The UK experienced its sunniest spring since records began in 1910, with 630 hours of sunshine between March 1 and May 27, a significant increase from 377 hours last year.
  • A drought has been officially declared in North West England by the Environment Agency, due to the low levels of rivers and reservoirs which are currently at less than 60% capacity.
  • Prior to recent rainfall, North West and North East England had both seen their driest start to a calendar year since 1929, while England had its driest February to April since 1956.
  • England experienced its wettest 12 months on record between October 2023 and September 2024, leading to widespread flooding before the current dry spell.
  • Environment Secretary Steve Reed has seized central government control over two major reservoir projects in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, amid concerns that water demand could exceed supply by the mid-2030s without new reservoirs.

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