This year was the driest July in England since 1935 – BBC news portal quotes the latest report of the British Met Office (Met Office). Based on data not yet definitive, July this month was the driest on record for eastern, southeast and southern England.
River levels in England are currently low, with serious impacts on agriculture, the natural environment and wildlife. Water providers have warned that it is possible to reduce water use by households.
South East England and South Central England saw an average of just five millimeters of rain, with an average of 23.2 millimeters in England. The UK averaged for July at 46.3 mm, making it the 19th driest July in the country since 1936.
They can’t fill garden ponds
The first irrigation ban goes into effect on August 5, affecting Southern Water customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Consumers may not fill garden ponds or spray or wash cars with a sprinkler hose.
Farmers have warned of the devastating effects of the drought, as potatoes, sugar beets and corn suffer from a lack of rain, and some farmers are forced to harvest earlier than usual. And many wild animals have not adapted to the warmer, drier conditions. Scientists have warned that some species, including bees and many bird species, will struggle to survive.
This year, January through June was the driest in the country since 1976, MTI writes.
