Drought conditions will continue without ‘sustained rainfall’ in affected areasThe Environment Agency said even a few weeks of wetter weather ‘cannot reverse the impacts of several months of exceptionally dry conditions’.Experts say far more rain is required to ease drought conditions (Joe Giddens/PA)PA WireSam Hall5 minutes ago
Drought conditions will continue until there is “sustained rainfall across the country”, the Environment Agency has said.
The public body said a “few days or even weeks of wetter weather cannot reverse the impacts of several months of exceptionally dry conditions”.
This summer was the first to see three separate days where temperatures exceeded 37C as parts of the country suffered as many as five heatwaves thought to have caused thousands of deaths.
August 28 to September 3 was the wettest week since early February, according to Environment Agency figures, with “rainfall improving river flows, soil moisture deficits and environmental conditions across much of England”.
The past week has seen rain in many parts of Britain – but not enough to ease drought conditions (PA)PA Wire
However, reservoir storage continued to decline for several water companies as demand exceeded recharge, with the Environment Agency adding: “Further significant rainfall is needed to return to normal water resource conditions for many water companies.”
Reservoir storage fell to 58% nationally in Environment Agency data for the week ending September 1, remaining significantly below average, with 11 reservoirs less than half full.
The Environment Agency said farmers “face challenging conditions due to hard soil, especially where some abstraction restrictions remain that limit the availability of water to soften ground”.
River flows increased at many sites monitored by the agency at the start of the month, however some low flows continued in parts of the east and south-west England.
Some 10 areas of England were in drought status at the start of September: East Anglia; Hertfordshire and North London; Thames; Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly; West Midlands; Wessex; Kent and South London; Solent and South Downs; East Midlands; Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
The remaining areas were in “prolonged dry weather status”, according to the Environment Agency.
Rainfall across August reached 78% of the long-term average nationally, although south-east England received only 54%.
The Met Office said autumn had marked a “significant change of weather type from summer, which was dominated by dry conditions”.
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It added that the first week of autumn had seen 18mm of rain fall across the UK, with more heavy rain forecast this week, especially in western areas.
Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy said: “A few days or even weeks of wetter weather cannot reverse the impacts of several months of exceptionally dry conditions.
“Drought conditions will continue until we receive sustained rainfall across the country and we still all have a role to play in conserving precious water supplies.
“We ask people to carry on following the restrictions, where in place, and continue to save water such as by turning off taps when brushing teeth and using an eco-setting on household appliances.
“Small steps will leave more in the environment for our wildlife, our local rivers, and our farmers who are still struggling with the drought impacts.”
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: “Autumn has marked a significant change of weather type from summer which was dominated by dry conditions, especially in the south.
“Now the weather patterns are dominated by the Atlantic which in autumn usually means an increase in wet and unsettled conditions.
“The first week of autumn has seen 18mm of rain fall across the UK, and we have more rain in the forecast for the coming week; some of this rain is likely to be heavy, especially in western areas.
“This week’s forecast is dominated by a regular drumbeat of clearer periods interspersed with wetter spells.”
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