North-west Europe has been experiencing an unusually dry spring. Belgium, in particular, has had four times less rain than it would typically expect, according to data from the Uccle measuring station, stoking fears that this will be the driest spring in 130 years. This has triggered a warning for extreme drought.
The UK has also recorded only 80.6mm of rain, making it the driest spring in more than a century with only two weeks to go. England has been particularly affected and notched up the driest February to April period since 1956, with parts of northern England, including the often soggy city of Manchester, experiencing more than 20 days without a drop of rain.
