According to the British Meteorological Service (the Met Office), this year has been the driest July in England since 1935. Based on not yet final data, this July has been the driest on record for eastern, southeast and southern England.
England’s rivers are now at low levels, with serious impacts on agriculture, the natural environment and wildlife. Water providers have warned that it is also possible to reduce water use by households.
South East England and Central South England saw an average of only 5mm of rain, and England averaged 23.2mm. The UK average for July was 46.3 mm, making it the 19th driest July in the country since 1936.
Heat in June in London
Illustrated by Carlos Gasso/AFP
The first irrigation ban will go into effect on August 5, affecting customers of water supplier Southern Water in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Consumers may not fill garden ponds, spray or wash cars with a 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.
Many wild animals have not adapted to the warmer, drier conditions. Scientists have warned that some species (including bees and many bird species) will survive only with great difficulty.
This year, January-June was the driest period in the country since 1976.
This summer, the effects of the climate crisis are more dramatic in Hungary than everForests have burned, lakes and streams have disappeared, and we can already see how water shortages are fueling conflict. (BBC via MTI)
