UK faces prolonged drought as September rain falls far short of needs

The Met Office and Environment Agency have issued a joint warning that September’s rainfall was far from enough to alleviate the UK’s water shortage, keeping the nation in a drought risk. While some regions saw rain, many areas recorded only about one-third of their typical monthly totals, leaving reservoirs at worrying levels. Philip Duffy, chief executive of the Environment Agency, stressed that drought will only end when groundwater, rivers and reservoirs return to normal, a process that could take several months of heavy rain.

The drought declaration covered all of Wales and most of England after a record-hot summer, and October temperatures have remained above average, with highs reaching the mid-20s in places like Cambridge. Forecasts predict only light showers in the coming week, insufficient to significantly boost water stores, and water supplies remain limited across the affected regions.