Overview

• Provisional Met Office figures show the UK received 630 hours of sunshine from March 1 to May 27, surpassing the 2020 record by four hours.
• Rainfall totals due this week are expected to confirm spring 2025 as one of the driest on record despite recent isolated downpours.
• Over half of England’s rivers flowed below normal levels in May, with a quarter classified as 'exceptionally low'.
• Environment Agency labels England’s summer drought risk as 'medium' and signals that water companies may need to impose restrictions.
• Farmers warn that continued dry conditions are putting crops under stress and threatening food production.