By: Blonde Two
There can be no doubt about it, Wales is a beautiful place to visit, especially if you enjoy the outdoors. With mountains, moors and coastline all available there is scenery and challenge out there to suit every taste. When you mention Wales however, the first thing that many people comment on is the weather. We all think that it rains in Wales. In fact in May 2018 30% of respondents in a Welsh tourism industry survey gave the weather as a factor in the decline of the tourist industry. It does of course rain right across the UK but does it rain in Wales more than it does in England? After a particularly enjoyable Welsh soaking I did a bit of research to find out (statistics from Statista).
Annual UK rainfall 2016
England – 821mm
Wales – 1370mm
Annual UK rainfall 2017
England – 827mm
Wales – 1416mm
Annual UK rainfall 2018
England – 800mm
Wales – 1440mm
Wales does have more rain than England
So there we have it, it is official. Wales is wetter than England. However one of the reasons that Wales is so wet, its mountains, is also the reason that we all find it so beautiful. Small wonder that people who love the hills are amongst the most waterproof in Britain!
How wet is Dartmoor?
Before I go, my research did lead me to somewhere that has almost as much rainfall as Wales. Princetown on Dartmoor has the wettest weather station in the South West and in 2019 saw 1364 mm of rain. So that’s why I feel so much at home in Wales!
Fun. The West Midlands, of course, sits in the rain shadow of the Welsh mountains, so is a good bit drier than Dartmoor or Wales. Especially if you happen to also be in the rain shadow of the Malverns. South Devon may have less actual rain than the Welsh mountains
– but being close to the sea it also has very damp air; We live on an island – we can’t win !!!
Having said all of that… You don’t have to travel far to realise that all that rain makes the UK a truly green and pleasant land! I remember coming home after a year in New Zealand and being astounded by how green everything was.