As temperature reaches 35 °C, England may declare drought in some areas. Find out where

Following the worst July on record for some areas and the driest first half of the year since 1976, it is anticipated that some parts in England are to be declared under drought. They are the most impacted areas in the south and east.

The move could result in bans on additional hosepipes and other responses like boating restrictions in canals. These measures will be taken when due to low water levels in the areas. Experts expressed concern that the situation might last till the beginning of the next year, with one stating that only "extraordinary rainfall" throughout the fall and winter would bring water resources back to normal.

The autumn-winter season as a whole will be crucial for determining what the water resources situation will be as the country moves into 2023, according to Jamie Hannaford, who is a hydrologist working at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, which advises the government.




The National Drought Group, comprising of representatives from the government and its agencies, water providers, and other organisations like the National Farmers' Union (NFU), is scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the protracted dry spell.

Although a number of criteria are considered before a drought is declared, the Met Office states that the basic definition of a drought is the lack of water.
The National Drought Group of the environment agency will examine particular statistics to see if the prerequisites have been met. They consist of rainfall, the amount of water still present in lakes, rivers and reservoirs, as well as heat wave predictions for the upcoming week.

The continuous dry weather and the temperature that set a record last month have dried out soils, depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers, which has had an adverse effect on agriculture, water supplies and wildlife. It has also increased the risk of wildfires.