SallyWally1 This is what it's been like where I live:
Based on data from the University of Reading, January 2026 was not the wettest January since records began, but it was exceptionally wet and set other records.
Here are the key details for your area as of early February 2026:
Ranking: January 2026 was the fourth-wettest January in almost 120 years of data, with 121 mm of rainfall recorded at the University of Reading.
Previous Records: Only January 1939, 1995, and 2014 were wetter in that 120-year period.
Record-Breaking Spell: While not the highest total, January 2026 set a new record for the longest unbroken spell of daily rain, with 25 consecutive days of rain, beating the previous 1934 and 1970 records.
Context: For the 29 days beginning 6 January, 135 mm of rain fell in the area—more than double the expected amount for that period.
University of Reading
While it was not the absolute wettest in terms of total volume, the relentlessness of the rain made it an historic, standout month for the area.
In one week, where we had rain here every day and no sunshine, my friend in Essex, where I moved from 2.5 years ago, said she had had sunshine and managed to dry her washing outside 3 days that week! Why did I move?!!! (I moved to be near my daughter and her family).