England and Wales precipitation: A discussion of recent changes in ariability and an update to 1985

Abstract Recent changes in precipitation variability are examined for five regions of England and Wales. The only statistically significant changes that have occurred over the past 10 years have been an increase in the frequency of extreme dry summers and wet springs. The importance of large‐scale climate forcing factors, such as pressure gradients and weather types, in controlling precipitation variations is examined using simple correlation analyses. The homogenized England and Wales precipitation series is updated to 1985.