England Is Both Too Dry and Too Wet at Once

On 27 August 2026, most of England — 71.3% — was in drought. Yet 40 flood warnings spread across the Midlands, Yorkshire, and the south-east. Why? When soil dries hard, rain bounces off rather than soaking in, so flooding and drought can happen together. Agency chief Philip Duffy said so plainly. Dozens of homes were damaged; up to 75mm of rain fell in 12 hours.