England and Wales on course for driest July since records began

The Met Office said on Friday 31 July that England and Wales was on course for the driest July since records began, with provisional statistics showing only 5.6mm of rainfall recorded in England¹. That is less than half of the previous record of 13.4mm, set in 1911¹. The Standard reports that the Met Office described the month as an "exceptional combination of extreme heat, abundant sunshine and an almost complete absence of rainfall"¹.

South West Water, in a page on its hosepipe ban, states that the Met Office has announced that England and Wales have provisionally recorded their driest July on record, with Southern England seeing its driest month ever recorded, in a series dating back to 1836². The same page records that the Environment Agency has declared half of England, including the South West, in drought².

The Standard reports that some parts of the UK have already seen four heatwaves this summer, and that London could be in line for another¹. Its report of the Met Office forecast on Saturday 1 August gives the following outlook for the capital¹:

In London, a heatwave means three or more consecutive days during which temperatures reach 28C or higher, and the threshold is different across the country¹. The capital was to be under another Met Office yellow heat health alert beginning on Sunday¹. The Met Office's long-term forecast for 6 to 15 August states: "A generally changeable period looks likely and many places are likely to see some rain or showers at times, interspersed with drier and sunnier spells. Many areas will start with a few drier days, although there will be some showers in the north."¹ It has been suggested that sufficient rainfall to reverse the drought conditions may not arrive until the autumn¹.

Why it matters for households

South West Water states that a temporary hosepipe ban is in place for all its customers in Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset and the Isles of Scilly, and came into effect at 00:01am on Saturday 8 August to help protect water supplies during the current drought conditions². Customers must not use hosepipes for non-essential purposes while the ban is in place, including watering a garden, washing a car, filling a paddling pool, swimming pool or hot tub, cleaning a patio or driveway, and cleaning walls and windows². The company states that water can still be used as normal for drinking, washing and cooking, and that many usual activities can be carried out without a hosepipe, for example by using a watering can to water plants or a bucket and sponge to wash a car².

South West Water states that some people and some types of water use are exempt from the ban, with exceptions often based on people having additional needs, requiring water to carry out a business activity, or using water to protect people or animals². It states that customers may be exempt if they have a health condition, disability or extra support need, and asks those covered by an exception to be careful with water wherever possible to help safeguard essential supplies². The company attributes the ban to a prolonged period of hot and dry weather, with record temperatures and rainfall well below seasonal averages over many months, along with continuous high demand for water, causing increasing pressure on reservoirs and available water resources². It states that it only imposes a hosepipe ban when absolutely necessary and will lift the restrictions as soon as it can².

The Standard reports that the Met Office's thresholds for what counts as a heatwave vary by region, with London's set at three or more consecutive days at 28C or higher¹. The official definition of a heatwave in the UK sets out the Met Office thresholds, and the current situation page covers where drought restrictions apply in England. The Met Office's longer-term picture of hotter, drier UK summers is covered in the heatwaves and drought section.

What happens next

South West Water states that its teams have been maximising water treatment works production, moving water around the network to where it is needed most, increasing leak detection and repairs, and deploying additional resources to protect supplies². The Met Office's long-term forecast covers 6 to 15 August¹.