Gwynedd and Anglesey leave drought, but south-east and north-east Wales are still in it
Archive article. Published on Mon 26 Oct, 12:12. Conditions may have changed since this reporting.
North Gwynedd, including Anglesey, and South Gwynedd have moved out of drought and into recovery, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said in its latest assessment, dated 23 October. The south-west Welsh catchments, which moved into recovery on 28 September, stay there. South-east Wales, north-east Wales and the upper Severn catchments remain in drought. NRW says their river, groundwater and environmental indicators have not improved enough yet.
Rainfall against the long-term average
- Wales, October to the 20th
- 44%
- Wales, September
- 99%
- Gwynedd, September
- 107% to 140%
- South-east, north-east and upper Severn, September
- mostly under 85%
Why some areas are still dry
Rain has not fallen evenly. Wales as a whole had 44% of its expected October rainfall by 20 October, while some Gwynedd catchments had more than two-thirds. In September, Gwynedd received between 107% and 140% of its long-term average, but the north-east, the upper Severn and the south-east mostly had less than 85%. The assessment was made before Storm Boelo brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of Wales on 24 and 25 October. NRW has not yet said whether that rain changes any area's status.
How the drought unfolded
NRW declared prolonged dry weather for north Wales, the upper Severn and south-east Wales on 16 July. The two Gwynedd areas, the Dee, Clwyd and the upper Severn moved into drought on 23 July, and drought covered all of Wales by 30 July after a record-dry month. NRW and the Environment Agency applied for a River Severn drought order on 17 August, and NRW said on 12 October that an application was still awaiting a decision.
What recovery means
Recovery means rivers, groundwater, rainfall and soil moisture are back in normal ranges for the time of year. NRW says damage to the environment, lower farm output or concerns for some water supplies can linger, and groundwater takes longer to recover than rivers. It says water companies remain in a healthy position, with reservoir levels published on their own websites.