It’s too dry even for turnips to dig us out of veg crisis
FEBRUARY is traditionally a month of fluctuating fortunes. According to a UK data series that stretches back to 1884, the driest ever February was in 1932, when just 9.5mm of rain fell across the UK. Contrast that with three years ago when 213.7mm fell.
This month has so far been exceptionally dry. For England, it has been the driest first three weeks of the month for 30 years. By the tail-end of last week, an estimated 14 counties across central and southern England had recorded less than 2mm of rainfall.
Meanwhile, about 63 per cent of England’s rivers are below normal levels. According to the National Drought Group, England remains just one hot, dry spell from severe drought conditions returning in 2023.
There will be a few spots of drizzle (and some winter showers) over the coming days, but by and large things remain dry. By the middle of next week a band of high pressure is forecast to dominate, slowly spreading north.
Similar problems abound across Europe. The Alps have received less than half of their normal snowfall for this time of year. This week, the French national weather service reported the country had gone a record 31 days without any significant rainfall.
The bare supermarket shelves are testament to the challenges such weather brings. While the absence of tomato and salad crops is down to a cold snap in Spain (as well as logistics problems and high energy costs making glasshouses unsustainable to run), homegrown yields on vegetables have also been affected.
East Anglia, a bread basket of England where a significant proportion of crops are grown, remains officially in drought status, alongside Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Fortunately the Government has a solution. Thérèse Coffey, the Environment Secretary, told MPS an answer to the shortages is for all of us to eat a lot more turnips.
Weather Watch is all for seasonal grub, but even a hardy turnip needs a bit of water to grow.