Drought Declared Across Half of England Following Heatwaves and Dry Weather
England Faces Severe Drought Conditions Amid Record Temperatures
LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) - Half of England has been declared in drought after exceptionally low rainfall and prolonged high temperatures depleted rivers and reservoirs, Britain's Environment Agency said on Wednesday.
Rainfall and Weather Patterns
• July has seen just 7% of its long-term average rainfall so far, falling to 1% in parts of southern England. Large areas of central, eastern and southern England are experiencing a rapidly developing "flash drought".
Affected Regions
• Seven regions - London, East Anglia, the Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex, are now officially in drought.
Impact on Water Resources
• Some 78% of England's rivers are below normal levels and reservoir storage has fallen to 75.3% of capacity. Seven water companies have introduced water-use restrictions affecting about 23 million customers.
Historical Context and Temperature Records
Recent Droughts
• The Environment Agency said this was England's third drought in five years, following those in 2022 and 2025.
Temperature Milestones
UK and England Records
• The Met Office on Wednesday confirmed a new UK and England June temperature record of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4°Fahrenheit).
• The figure exceeded the previously reported provisional reading of 37.7C and is now the highest June temperature recorded in the United Kingdom.
Regional Records
• The Met Office also confirmed June temperature records for Wales and Northern Ireland, while rejecting some provisional records from stations that did not meet required standards.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Kirsten Donovan )
