Driest July on Record as Water Bans Widen
July was the driest on record for England and Wales, the Met Office confirmed, calling the figures “truly exceptional” after a summer of relentless heat. Water companies moved to tighten restrictions, with Southern Water applying for a drought order and further hosepipe bans proposed. As the latest heatwave broke, forecasters warned of severe thunderstorms and flash flooding.
The record-dry month has left reservoirs and rivers depleted, farmland parched and much of the country under drought, with tens of millions already facing hosepipe bans. The threatened storms may bring some rain, but on ground baked too hard to absorb it, the risk is of flash floods rather than relief for the driest areas. Water companies, under fire over leaks and bills, face mounting anger as they impose restrictions. The whiplash from drought to downpour has become a hallmark of Britain’s changing summers. Watch whether the rain reaches the parched regions or the shortages deepen.