Wales, England in Drought After Record-Dry July
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- Natural Resources Wales extended its drought declaration to the entirety of Wales on Thursday, with Sustainable Water and Nature Manager Rhian Thomas saying the environment, land, and agriculture are visibly damaged and teams are still handling the aftermath of extensive wildfires.
- The Environment Agency declared drought across more than half of England on Wednesday, warning that people are "using water faster than nature can replenish it."
- Wales recorded just 8% of its long-term average rainfall for July, putting it on course for the driest July since records began 190 years ago.
- England saw only 7% of expected July rainfall overall, falling to 1% across southern England.
- The August forecast trends warmer and drier than average, meaning drought conditions could worsen before they improve, with rain through the weekend expected mostly in Scotland and northern areas.
- Summer rainfall efficiency is reduced because high daytime temperatures cause water to evaporate quickly, and heavy downpours run off faster than soil can absorb them, so prolonged overnight rain over weeks would be needed to ease the drought.
Why it matters: With Wales on track for its driest July in 190 years and southern England receiving just 1% of expected rainfall, the Environment Agency's warning that water is being used faster than nature can replenish it signals immediate strain on reservoirs, agriculture, and ecosystems — and the warmer-and-drier August forecast means the two newly declared droughts are unlikely to break before deepening.
