Drought Grips England as the Heatwave Eases
Cooler and more unsettled weather began to spread across Britain on Thursday, bringing relief after the fourth heatwave of the summer peaked at 35C, but the drought gripping more than half of England showed no sign of lifting. With little rain forecast for the parched regions, hosepipe bans affecting some 23 million people are set to remain. Hospitals had been forced to postpone some appointments during the hottest days.
The retreat of the heat eases the immediate strain on health services and transport, but does nothing for reservoirs and rivers left depleted by one of the driest spells on record. Water companies warned that restrictions could yet tighten, and farmers counted the cost to crops and livestock. The elevated wildfire risk lingers across tinder-dry land even as temperatures fall. The episode has renewed scrutiny of leaking pipes and Britain’s failure to build new reservoirs. Watch whether meaningful rain arrives and how long the bans endure.