Is winter 2026 on track to be Devon’s wettest ever - or will it fall just short?

Winter 2026 has been exceptionally wet across Devon, but how does it compare to the county’s wettest winter on record?

According to the Met Office, 518.7mm of rain has fallen in Devon so far this winter, which is 131 per cent of the seasonal average. 

While this is well above average, it is still short of the record 692.1mm set in the winter of 2014. 

Devon has currently received about three-quarters of the rainfall of its wettest winter, leaving roughly 173mm more rain needed to match 2014.

Across the UK, the start of 2026 has been dominated by a strong, unusually southerly jet stream, which has steered repeated low-pressure systems toward the country. 

This has brought frequent rain, strong winds, and at times wintry hazards, leaving little time for the ground to recover between storms.

Daily rainfall records have already fallen in Devon and neighbouring counties. 

Plymouth recorded its wettest January day in 104 years, Dunkeswell in Devon had its wettest January day in 57 years, and Hurn in Dorset saw its wettest January day in 74 years.

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Steven Keates said: “In the near term, the unsettled theme is expected to continue, with further showers or longer spells of rain for most. We are likely to see a transition from wet and windy weather to colder, more settled conditions towards the end of the week, with Saturday looking a fine day for many. But this reprieve doesn’t last long, as the next set of Atlantic weather fronts looks set to move in from the west at the end of the weekend.”

While winter 2026 isn’t currently in the top 10 wettest winters nationally, the intensity and frequency of rainfall have made the season feel particularly severe. 

Even without breaking records, the repeated downpours have caused flooding, travel disruption, and saturated farmland across the county.

To match the 2014 record, Devon would need another 173mm of rainfall before the season ends,  a significant amount, though not impossible given the UK’s volatile winter weather patterns. 

Residents have already felt the impact, with localised flooding closing roads, affecting travel, and waterlogged fields across the county.

So, is 2026 the wettest winter in Devon to date? 

Not yet, but with rainfall totals at 131 per cent of average and repeated intense storms, it is shaping up to be one of the wettest winters in recent memory, and a reminder of just how relentless British winter weather can be.