Climate News
Half of England is officially in drought as July heads for its driest on record
Half of England is officially in drought, the Environment Agency said on 29 July, with July on course to be the driest on record. The Guardian reported that the seven areas in drought are East Anglia, Hertfordshire and the whole of London, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex. The drought developed quickly because of very low rainfall and high temperatures, which is why it is called a "flash drought".
July had only 7% of its usual rainfall, and just 1% across southern England. Some parts of Devon had gone 50 days in a row without rain. Reservoir storage was 7.4% below average for the time of year, even after a record wet winter. England has now had drought in three of the past five years: 2022, 2025 and 2026. About 40% of people in England are under a hosepipe ban.
"The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it." — Helen Wakeham, Environment Agency, via The Guardian
How each outlet framed it
- The Guardian — the official warning that a second summer drought in a row is "exceptionally serious", plus the reservoirs and farmers' concerns.
- The Irish News — the PA version: half of England "plunges into flash drought".
- Gulf News — "more than half" of England in drought, during the UK's fourth widespread heatwave of 2026.
- Tuoi Tre News — the Vietnamese outlet carried the AFP version, also using "more than half".
Where the numbers differ: British outlets said "half" of England, while the AFP versions in Gulf News and Tuoi Tre said "more than half". Both are based on the same Environment Agency announcement.
What happened next: a few days later The Guardian reported that July had been the driest month on record for southern England.