Early drought warning after unusually dry winter

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) has issued a drought risk warning for this summer after the Met office reported an unusually dry winter.

Despite intense wet spells, Shetland recorded just 40 per cent of its typical rainfall this February. Across the UK rainfall was down by roughly a quarter compared to the month’s average.

Scientists are now crossing their fingers for a wet spring to replenish groundwater supplies.

“While some people may be surprised, given the heavy rain and flooding we saw over Hogmanay, the broader picture is one of persistent dryness with many areas seeing below average rainfall over the past several months,” Sepa senior hydrologist Claire Tunaley said.

Sepa will begin issuing weekly groundwater reports in May, and urged any businesses licensed to extract groundwater to begin taking preparatory steps for the summer now.

Earlier this year Scottish Water increased its rates by almost 10 per cent — at least in part to invest in the infrastructure to cope with droughts and intense bursts of rain exacerbated by climate change.

The utility’s climate action plan, however, suggests that Shetland is less likely to suffer from water scarcity than larger mainland cities.