New Met Office maps have laid bare the UK's drought crisis, showing that rainfall was 65% below average across the country last month. Half of England is currently under official drought conditions, with some areas recording almost no rain in July.
Soil moisture at critical lows
The maps indicate that soil moisture is severely lacking, with some parts of East and Southeast England seeing levels as low as 1%. This is far below the 30% benchmark needed to support plant life and agriculture.
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGovern said: "It's not good news - we really need the rain... You obviously need soil moisture for those plants to continue to thrive and we are seriously lacking in soil moisture across a large part of England and Wales."
Regional rainfall disparity
Southern England received just 3% of its long-term average rainfall for July, its driest month ever recorded, while Wales saw 9%. Only the far north of Scotland bucked the trend, with 69% of average rainfall.
Forecasts show more dry, hot weather in the Southeast, with temperatures expected to reach 35C next week in parts of the East and Southeast.
Farmers warn of shortages
Farmers have warned that staples like wheat, barley, and potatoes could see price jumps due to shortages after the worst summer harvest in living memory. NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: "We have taken food production for granted for too long; we must create a more resilient food system to feed the 29 million households across the country, and we can’t produce food without water."
Water restrictions in place
Hosepipe bans have been active in Southeast England and East Anglia for weeks. In Whitstable and Herne Bay, Kent, residents are urged to use water only for essential purposes. South East Water's Matthew Dean said: "Due to the prolonged period of hot and dry weather, water levels in our local drinking water storage tank in the Whitstable and Herne Bay areas continue to be extremely low."
He added: "If demand for water continues to remain high, there is a risk of supply interruptions." Showers are forecast for the Northeast on Thursday, but they are unlikely to significantly improve soil moisture.
