Misery for many as rain falls for 40 days in some parts of UK

"Feel like it hasn't stopped raining? the Met Office asked on Monday. For some places, the forecaster said, it really had rained every day so far this year. People who live in parts of Devon, Cornwall and Worcestershire have been dodging deluges or showers for 40 days the same number of days that it rained in the Bible's Noah's ark story, the same number of soggy days you can expect if it rains on St Swithin's Day, according to folklore."

"It's just a matter of trying to hang on, said James Winslade, a beef and arable farmer on the Somerset Levels, where his 500 cattle were confined to a barn on what is now an island. We were prepared. We've got everything we need for the cattle, such as grain and water. But with global warming, as a nation we've got to invest more in infrastructure."

"Provisional Met Office statistics show that Northern Ireland experienced its wettest January in 149 years and second wettest on record. Co Down has endured its wettest January on record with the soggiest spot being the Mountains of Mourne, where 790mm of rain has been recorded so far this year. Graph showing February's rainfall in England, Wales and Scotland Wales has reached 39% of its February monthly average and 94% of its average winter rainfall already."

Heavy, persistent rain has affected large parts of the UK, with some locations in Devon, Cornwall and Worcestershire receiving rain every day for 40 days. The 40-day stretch matches the duration in the Bible's Noah story and St Swithin's Day folklore. Flooding has hit hundreds of homes and businesses and disrupted farmers, builders, motorists, sea swimmers and sportspeople. On the Somerset Levels, a farmer confined 500 cattle to an islandized barn and called for more infrastructure investment amid global warming. Northern Ireland had its wettest January in 149 years, with County Down recording 790mm so far. Wales has reached 94% of average winter rainfall already.

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