The Met Office has confirmed that February 2026 was one of the wettest on record for England, bringing a season of persistent rain and grey skies to Cheltenham and the wider Gloucestershire region. The official report follows a winter where constant rainfall left the ground saturated across much of southern and central England.
England experienced its eighth-wettest winter since records began in 1836, with southern England recording its fourth-wettest. Local impacts were significant, with neighboring Worcestershire recording its wettest February ever, highlighting the intensity of the damp weather throughout the area.
February 2026 was also notably mild but stood out as the fourth-dullest February for the UK since records started in 1910. Dr. Amy Doherty, a science manager at the Met Office, explained that the month was marked by a significant lack of sunshine and above-average temperatures, bringing a “winter of considerable contrasts” to a close.
As meteorological spring begins, the focus shifts away from the Atlantic weather systems that dominated the season. Tony Wisson, a deputy chief forecaster, noted a change in conditions, stating that the forecast is set to reflect a seasonal shift toward more settled weather following the recent unsettled period.
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