Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index was 1.86 in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
1.86
Change on year
up 344.2%
World rank
3rd
of 188 countries
All-time high
1.86
in 2023
All-time low
-2.1
in 2003
Years of data
64
1960–2023

Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in United Kingdom, 1960–2023

-2-1012196019912023

Source: Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html.

Analysis

The most recent figure for standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in United Kingdom is 1.86, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 344.2% on the previous year and up 510.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in United Kingdom peaked at 1.86 in 2023 and was at its lowest, -2.1, in 2003.

That places United Kingdom 3rd out of 188 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0.0869 -1.52 1.42 10
1970s -0.5445 -1.77 0.9035 10
1980s 0.2782 -1.24 0.9922 10
1990s 0.0832 -1.59 1.55 10
2000s 0.2027 -2.1 1.8 10
2010s 0.2634 -1.11 1.82 10
2020s 0.5249 -0.7631 1.86 4

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 1 Micronesia (country) 2.41 compare
  2. 2 Sri Lanka 1.89 compare
  3. 4 Kenya 1.83 compare
  4. 5 Denmark 1.73 compare
  5. 6 Ireland 1.62 compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More environment data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in United Kingdom?
Standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in United Kingdom was 1.86 in 2023, according to Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html.
What is the highest standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 1.86 in 2023.
What is the lowest standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was -2.1 in 2003.
How does United Kingdom rank for standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index?
United Kingdom ranks 3rd out of 188 countries with data for 2023.
Is standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 510.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html, published as part of Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index
Source
Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
189 places, 12,095 data points, 1960–2023
Last refreshed

The SPEI fulfills the requirements of a drought index since its multi-scalar character enables it to be used by different scientific disciplines to detect, monitor, and analyze droughts. Like the sc-PDSI and the SPI, the SPEI can measure drought severity according to its intensity and duration, and can identify the onset and end of drought episodes. The SPEI allows comparison of drought severity through time and space, since it can be calculated over a wide range of climates, as can the SPI.