Climate & Environment

Wales and Much of England Remain in Drought Despite Heaviest Rainfall Since February

By Simon King

Drought conditions and hosepipe bans continue across the UK even after the wettest week since early February, the Environment Agency has reported. Rainfall in the final days of August and start of September exceeded any other week's total since that month, offering some relief from the unsettled and drier summer conditions that preceded it.

Despite this increase in rainfall, all of Wales and most of England remain officially in drought, and water companies have reminded customers that temporary hosepipe bans remain in effect in ten regions, even though cooler weather has reduced overall water demand.

Environment Agency figures show that between 28 August and 3 September, rainfall totals ranged from 26mm in south-east England to 48mm in central England. However, the National Drought Group noted that water storage levels continued to decline at most reservoirs during this period. There has been no change to the Environment Agency's drought status, and officials say further sustained rainfall will be required to return conditions to normal.

Rainfall so far in September has varied significantly across the UK. Parts of Scotland have already received about half their average September rainfall within the first week of the month. Prestwick in South Ayrshire, for instance, recorded 47mm of rain, equivalent to 59% of its usual monthly average of 79mm. In contrast, southern England and south Wales have remained largely dry, with areas such as East Sussex, Buckinghamshire, and the Isle of Wight recording less than one millimetre of rain, only around 1% of the typical September total.

Forecasters expect rainfall to increase slightly this week as wet weather moves south-east across England and Wales. The Midlands and eastern England could see a few millimetres, while southern counties may receive up to around 15mm. Showers are also expected to continue across Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England, accompanied by strong winds, with gales forecast for western Scotland and blustery conditions spreading to northern and eastern parts of England by Wednesday.

Temperatures this week are expected to remain close to the seasonal average of 17 to 21°C, though a slight warm-up is possible later in the week, with temperatures in the south-east potentially reaching the mid-20s Celsius.

Long-range forecasts currently show no clear signs of the significant rainfall needed across England and Wales to ease drought conditions over the coming month.