During the period leading up to and encompassing the peak of the Somerset floods in early 2014, 372 millimeters (15 inches) of rain fell on southern England, including the Somerset Levels.
Details of the Rainfall
The severe flooding experienced in Somerset during 2014 was a direct result of an exceptionally wet stretch of weather. A series of intense storms in December 2013 and January 2014 deposited a significant amount of precipitation across southern England.
This two-month period, accumulating 372 millimeters (or 15 inches) of rainfall, was recorded as the wettest for southern England since 1910. The sustained heavy rainfall overwhelmed the natural and engineered drainage systems, leading to widespread and prolonged inundation, particularly affecting the low-lying, marshy landscape characteristic of the Somerset Levels.
Understanding the magnitude of this rainfall helps to contextualize the severity of the 2014 Somerset floods, which had a significant impact on local communities and infrastructure.
| Period | Rainfall (mm) | Rainfall (inches) | Affected Region | Historical Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2013-Jan 2014 | 372 | 15 | Southern England | Wettest two-month period since 1910 |
For more information on the impact and meteorological context of these floods, you can refer to detailed reports from the Met Office.
