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Why has it rained so much and when will the UK’s downpours stop?

Worcester racecourse flooded after heavy rain
  • The UK is enduring a record-breaking period of wet weather, with 41 consecutive days of rain and forecasts indicating a further 10 days of rainfall.
  • The Met Office has issued yellow rain warnings for areas including the South West and Scotland, while the Environment Agency has over 100 flood warnings in effect.
  • Several regions have experienced exceptionally high rainfall, with Cornwall and Northern Ireland recording their wettest January on record, and Aberdeen seeing no sunshine for two weeks.
  • This relentless wet spell is attributed to a strong, south-shifted jet stream steering low-pressure systems towards the UK, combined with a blocking high over northern Europe.
  • The Wildlife Trusts warn that the extreme weather is impacting vulnerable species, damaging riverbank habitats, increasing waterway pollution, and facilitating the spread of invasive species.
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