Thunderstorm warnings have been issued across parts of England and Wales, as water companies could be forced to reduce the amount they take from the River Severn to prevent parts of it drying out in the ongoing drought.
It comes as parts of the UK were hit by “heavy pulses” of rain early on Wednesday, but forecasters and officials warned downpours this week would not solve the drought overnight.
Some areas in the country were predicted to have the “first meaningful rain for a long time” this week, the Met Office said, after a summer of punishing heatwaves and extremely dry weather has left some areas facing water shortages.
Yellow warnings issued
The forecaster has issued yellow warnings for thunderstorms in northern areas of England and Wales from Wednesday evening through to Thursday morning, for Northern Ireland from midday to midnight on Wednesday and for an area of eastern Scotland around Aberdeen from 2pm-9pm on Wednesday.
The Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have applied to the English and Welsh governments for a drought order for the River Severn, warning of the impact the conditions are having on the Severn’s habitats and surrounding farmers.
If granted, it would require Severn Trent Water, South Staffordshire Water, Bristol Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy, to reduce the amount they abstract from the river by 5%, which they have said will not affect water supplies.
The order would also impose a cap on the amount of water the Canal and River Trust could take for the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal and reduce releases from a reservoir at the river’s headwaters to stretch the amount of available water over a longer period to support fish and other wildlife.
Rainfall totals and drought impact
The warnings come after overnight rain which saw Wisley, in Surrey, break its 62-day dry streak, the longest of any area in the UK, with 1.6mm falling in the early hours.
Met Office data showed up to 23mm of rain fell in Billinge Hill, Merseyside, in the 12 hours to 6am on Wednesday. Elsewhere, up to 13mm was recorded in parts of Northern Ireland and between 6-10mm fell across south-west England.
Met Office Meteorologist Clare Nasir said in a video update for the weather service that “heavy” pulses of rain were also felt across Northern Ireland and Scotland.
“We’ve seen cloud and rain move in overnight into the early hours of the morning, just bumping into Northern Ireland and southern Scotland,” she said. “Some higher rainfall totals are possible through the day across northern England as that rain extends southward.”
The forecaster’s predictions on Wednesday morning said: “Rain will soon clear from the far southeast of England, whilst gradually easing across northern Scotland. Otherwise Wednesday will bring sunshine and showers. Showers locally heavy, especially in the north where hail and thunder possible.”
Drought order application
The cooler and wetter conditions come after the UK’s fifth heatwave of the summer, during which the hottest day of the year was recorded in Kew Gardens, London, on Thursday when the temperature reached 38.1C.
The UK is facing increasingly severe weather extremes such as heatwaves, droughts and flooding – with a risk of surface water floods as heavy rain falls on baked dry ground – as a result of climate change, caused mostly by burning fossil fuels for power stations, vehicles, heating buildings and industry.
All of Wales, and nearly three quarters of England are in drought as a result of the hot dry conditions.
As the Environment Agency announced the application for the drought order for the Severn, a spokesperson said: “We are exceptionally concerned about the impact that the drought is having on the River Severn’s habitats and surrounding farmers. We need to see significant and sustained rainfall for this drought to end.”
Water levels in the Severn are artificially supported by releases from groundwater and the Llyn Clywedog and Lake Vyrnwy reservoirs at the head of the river in Wales. But reservoir levels are declining and the proposed drought order – which would be the first on the river since 1989 – is designed to stretch the available water for longer, officials said.
The drought order asks to slow down releases from the Llyn Clywedog reservoir, where water levels are at 48% and continue to fall. It would also impose an initial 5% reduction on water abstraction from the Severn by the region’s water companies, to keep more water in the local area.
The Environment Agency said the water companies, which currently have no hosepipe bans in place, had confirmed the move would have no impact on public water supplies. And the abstraction cap on the Canal and River Trust for the Gloucester and Sharpness canal would be “manageable”, according to the agency.
The EA spokesperson said: “This drought order, if made, will stop the Clywedog reservoir from being completely exhausted and will prevent sections of Britain’s longest river from drying out. We still expect water companies to follow their drought plans and encourage an earlier use of Temporary Use Bans to protect public water supplies and preserve the environment. Every drop we can save is a drop more for your local farmers, local wildlife, and local rivers.”
Without the order, releases from Llyn Clywedog reservoir are at risk of stopping and sections of the upper Severn could be at risk of drying out, resulting in the whole river experiencing record minimum flows and environmental stress, officials warned.
