The National Drought Group has identified large swaths of southern, central, and eastern England as being in a state of prolonged dry weather, the immediate precursor to a drought. This assessment, released Tuesday, follows a summer defined by intense heatwaves and historically low rainfall.
Currently, approximately 23 million people reside in areas facing or under active water restrictions. While significant regional differences exist—with northern and western Scotland receiving higher than average rainfall—England has experienced its longest dry spell since 1995. In Surrey, Wisley has endured 33 consecutive days without precipitation.
Environment Agency data confirms that river flows are critically low across 87% of catchments. Despite these conditions, reservoirs are currently holding up better than last year due to a wet preceding autumn and winter. However, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology warns that sudden, intense flash droughts are becoming increasingly common.
The agricultural sector is feeling significant strain. Paul Tompkins of the National Farmers’ Union noted that growers are working continuously to save crops and livestock. Looking ahead, climate projections suggest that by 2070, summers in the UK could be significantly warmer and up to 60% drier, necessitating urgent national efforts to bolster infrastructure resilience against changing weather patterns.
