The Environment Agency has declared that half of England is officially in drought, with seven regions affected by a 'flash drought' caused by unusually low rainfall and high temperatures. The areas affected are East Anglia, Hertfordshire and London, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex.
July is set to be the driest on record, with just 7% of expected rainfall across England and only 1% in southern England. Some parts of Devon have recorded no rain for 50 consecutive days. This marks the third drought in five years, following those in 2022 and 2025.
Helen Wakeham, director of water at the Environment Agency and chair of the National Drought Group, said: 'The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it. A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife and the economy.'
Reservoir storage has fallen to 7.4% below the average for this time of year, with almost half of all reservoirs classed as below normal. The agency said current reserves should be enough until the next period of sustained rainfall, but the Met Office's chief meteorologist, Will Lang, said there was little sign of such rain.
Hosepipe bans are in place for 40% of the population, imposed by seven water companies. Meanwhile, 78% of rivers are below normal levels, hindering migratory fish, and the UK is experiencing its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures forecast to reach 35C. The Environment Agency also noted that record heatwaves have been made significantly more likely by global heating.
