Seasons Confused: UK's Relentless Rain Cripples Businesses and Sparks Climate Fears
With 76 flood warnings still active across the UK and further downpours forecast in the coming weeks, parts of the country have endured near-continuous rain since the start of the year. This prolonged wet weather is severely disrupting livelihoods and daily life, particularly in rural areas, where flooded roads, waterlogged ground, and repeated storms are making it increasingly difficult to sustain businesses, protect crops, and maintain steady work. Here, individuals from various sectors share how the relentless rain and bad weather are impacting them and their operations.
Thatcher in Devon: 'I'm Haemorrhaging Money'
In north Devon, Mark Harrington, a 61-year-old master thatcher with 30 years of experience, has been inundated with calls from customers dealing with leaking roofs in recent months. "This is silly season for us thatchers," he says, noting that the weather has definitely worsened. "Even if you do manage to work for a day, it's punctuated by periods of an hour and a half of rain where you're sitting in your truck doing nothing. Before, I used to think, a day off, that's great. But now you think, oh, jeez, not another day off!"
The delays have significant financial consequences for Harrington. "I am haemorrhaging money at the moment just trying to cope with the delays," he explains. "Jobs are taking longer, customers are unwilling to pay for extra scaffolding to over-roof their property, and the lads who work with me are grumbling that they need to find work indoors. I'm earning a minimal wage myself." He used to pay employees half a day's wages during rain-offs but can no longer afford to do so.
Additionally, the weather's impact on materials like wheat adds pressure. "If wheat seeds lay on wet ground for an extended period, they don't germinate, affecting availability. We had a disastrous crop two years ago and are still suffering from the after-effects of the shortage," he says, leading to higher costs for customers. Harrington fears for the future, stating, "If a skilled tradesman such as myself is unable to maintain a team or even work as much as is required, then I fear for the future."
Cornwall Nursery: 'Only the Beginning of a Long Drawn Out Disaster'
On a hill near Helston in Cornwall, John, 83, and his wife Vicki, 73, have lost 15 trees this year alone, many of which were pines planted nearly 40 years ago for shelter and beauty. John attributes this to the relentlessness of the rain and increased storms. "The ground gets very soggy, and the trees hold less well in it," he says. "It's such a shame to see a tree you planted lying on its side."
While living on a hill offers some flood protection, surrounding lanes have been submerged, with water reaching three-quarters up car wheels. Heavy rain has worsened potholes, doubling the time for a seven-mile drive to Helston. Vicki, who runs a plant nursery specializing in roses and herbs, says the unstable weather has made small-scale growing far more difficult. "Even on a south-facing slope high on a hill, the ground is totally soggy and waterlogged," she notes.
The combination of saturated ground and violent winds has proven most damaging. Storm Goretti recently blew off her last polytunnel cover, prompting her to scale back operations. "It's very hard to come back from that. It takes a lot of work to build up stock," she says. John predicts worse to come: "As global heating progresses, there is a likelihood that we will have structural damage to buildings as well as trees. I'm concerned that what we've seen so far is only the beginning of a long drawn out disaster."
London Gardener: 'Seasons Have Become Confused'
In London, gardener Connor Law, 33, has worked outdoors for 10 years and notices increasingly extreme weather changes. "It's been hard to work with this much rain," he says. "I don't mind working through a shower or two, but when it's so consistently wet, you can end up accidentally disturbing plants. So jobs get pushed further and further back. I'm self-employed, so it's going to start making money a bit tight if it carries on for too long."
Law observes that seasons have become confused, with spring bulbs flowering in December. "I worked in gardens where half the plants were dying last summer, and now they're all soaked," he explains. "Droughts followed by flooding are becoming increasingly common." He advises people to adapt their gardens by growing wetland plants and embracing flooded areas to encourage biodiversity.
While conditions in London are milder than in other parts of the UK, Law emphasizes the broader environmental impact. "People's gardens are really important for biodiversity, insects, and carbon capture. And if things in your garden are constantly dying because the conditions have changed, we're going to lose that resource," he warns.
