BREAKING: Environment Agency declares UK drought as millions hit with hosepipe bans
The Environment Agency - which aims to help protect the UK environment - has warned England faces widespread drought conditions by September.
As it stands, there are five additional regions that could be declared drought zones, it says.
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
UK set for fourth intense heatwave as scorching 32C highs close out July
If you're happy the recent heatwaves are at an end, there's bad news - even more scorching temperatures look likely to be baking Britain before the end of the month A fourth heatwave of the summer will arrive before the end of the month as Brits desperate for an end to the high temperatures are told to brace for even more intense heat. The UK is currently recuperating from its third heatwave of the year, with several parts of the country experiencing conditions over 32C since Friday and Monday. Despite temperatures rising over 30C again on Monday, rain is now falling to help cool some areas down with a welcome wind also arriving this week. However, it could soon change again as Met Office weather maps reveal more sweltering highs are on the cards this month. There will be a bit of a wait until things really heat up again, but by Tuesday July 29 we will be switching on the fans again with the south east expecting the mercury to hit 31C. Other areas, such as the west Midland and the north west, will see highs of 30. It is due to be even warmer on Wednesday July 30 with 32C forecast. Things will begin to get really hot again from next weekend, with much of the south seeing 28C from the Sunday. Before that, rain is scheduled across most parts of Britain, a relief for millions as water companies roll out hosepipe bans as water supplies dwindle following one of the driest springs on record. It comes as the Environment Agency, which aims to help protect the UK environment, has warned England faces widespread drought conditions by September. The East and West Midlands have become the latest areas of England to fall into drought as the country struggles with the driest start to the year since 1976. The declaration of drought status for the East and West Midlands means the region joins Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, and Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, which are already in drought. As it stands, there are four UK regions considered drought zones, and there could be an additional four within a matter of months, it says. The National Drought Group is set to meet later today to discuss the worsening situation. Rain and thunderstorms has today hit some regions, including the Northwest of England, this afternoon as a band of low pressure creeps in from the west. This will also lead to gusts of up to 50mph along the coasts of south Wales and Somerset and Devon. It will be quite the contrast to recent scorchers and the Met Office website reads: "A band of rain will move east through the day, followed by heavy scattered showers in the northwest. Windy for many, particularly across the south and west. Feeling fresh." The sequence begins an unsettled ending to July. The Met Office's long-range forecast, concerning the period up to Monday July 28, says it will be "wet and, in places, windy". It adds: "Unsettled, wet and in places windy weather is likely this coming weekend, followed by something a bit more mixed. Any more settled spells could persist for a few days at a time and are likely to be accompanied by plenty of sunshine, but interspersed with these will be cloudier, more unsettled intervals which will bring some showers or longer spells of persistent rainfall." Amber and yellow heat health alerts which have been in place across England – warning of the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions – are due to lift at 9am today. Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: 'The heatwave is starting to come to an end as low pressure starts to move in from the Atlantic. "We say goodbye to high pressure as this area of low pressure takes over, bringing bands of heavy rain, some thundery downpours, but also bringing in some fresher conditions across many parts.'
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Hosepipe bans: Has your area been banned from using hosepipes?
Hosepipe bans have been introduced across England, affecting millions of bans have been brought in by a number of water companies, after England experienced its second driest spring on record according to BBC has also been England's warmest June on latest hosepipe ban comes from a water company called Thames Water, and is said to effect 1.1 million customers in the south of England. Meanwhile, more English regions have announced they are experiencing a drought after the National Drought Group met on East and West Midlands have officially entered drought, joining the north west of England and Yorkshire who have already declared they are experiencing have always happened, but climate change and our growing use of water are raising the risks of water shortages, the Environment Agency what is a drought? And what is a hosepipe ban? Find out here. What is a drought? A drought is when there is a longer than expected period of dry weather, leading to a shortage of the UK, water is collected in places called help supply clean, fresh water to homes and businesses around the country throughout the if there is a long time with little to no rain, then reservoirs may not have enough water to go can read more about droughts and what they mean here. Why do water companies ban the use of hosepipes? When water supplies are very low, water companies may restrict how much water their customers can way to restrict water is to ban the non-essential use of are often used in homes to:water plantsclean cars and bikes fill up ponds or paddling of using garden hosepipes, customers are encouraged to use watering cans to water plants or buckets of water to wash cars and hope is these methods will use up less water than a hosepipe water companies may fine customers for using hosepipes during a ban. Which water companies have announced hosepipe bans? On Monday Thames Water announced a hosepipe ban, affecting 1.1 million hosepipe ban would start on 22 July in Swindon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and parts of Water introduced the first hosepipe ban of the year, affecting 5 million customers on ban covers much of Yorkshire, parts of north Lincolnshire and parts of South East Water customers are preparing for a ban on 18 July affecting people in Kent and Sussex. What is happening in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland? As of Tuesday, there are no official droughts reported in Northern Ireland or Mid and South Ceredigion in west Wales say there is a risk of "developing drought".In Scotland, droughts are not declared. Instead, they monitor water levels. Parts of eastern Scotland have been affected by "moderate" water scarcity, meaning water levels are lower than usual.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Brits told to repurpose their tea towels before sizzling heatwave returns to UK
The bout of hot weather in the UK this summer isn't over just yet, with highs of 27C forecast for the next few days. There are some clever techniques for keeping cool with instant results The UK has been hit with soaring temperatures in recent weeks, with signs of another heatwave just around the corner. England had its warmest June on record, according to provisional Met Office statistics, with the hottest day of the year recorded with temperatures surpassing 34C in some parts of the country. While it has cooled off over the past couple of days after a scorching weekend, forecasters predict warm weather to return on Wednesday, with highs of 27C. Some people love nothing more than basking in the sunshine; however, for many, the heat can prove a struggle, making getting to sleep and trying to stay cool difficult. Luckily, there are many tried-and-tested methods for coping with warmer-than-usual weather in Britain. Resooma, a platform that helps renters set up bills for their next home, shared a series of hacks on its TikTok channel, leaving its followers thrilled. One user described one method as "brilliant," while another said the tips were just what they needed, Express reports. The video contained five tricks, with the first being to place a bowl of ice in front of a fan. The commentator suggested it would "distribute cold air around the room." It also advised Brits to keep windows closed during hot weather, even if it feels counterintuitive. Demonstrating the tip, the video was overlaid with the words: "Shut out the heat". The narrator added: "Keep the heat out by shutting windows and closing curtains, just remember to open them at night time to let the cooler air in." They also suggested placing a damp tea towel in the freezer for about half an hour. When placed on your skin, the frozen fabric would "instantly" cool you down, providing some short-lived relief from the heat. Online parenting expert Harriet Shearsmith also advocates for the chilled tea towel method to cool down her children. In a post for her blog, Toby & Roo, Harriet, who is mum to Reuben, Tobias, and Edith, revealed that she always has an 'ice towel' to hand, which works wonders when her little ones are struggling. She simply takes one of her towels from the bathroom cupboard and creates her own DIY cooling hack. Explaining how her followers could follow suit, Harriet, who wrote the parenting book Mummin' It, said: "I've actually just made one of these and whacked it in the freezer for when the kids come home, as I know Reuben is going to be finding it tough. "It's exactly as it sounds – put a towel in cool water, wring it out until it's damp and then put it in the freezer – keep repeating. Drape over shoulders for a cooling effect, or hold against your head. This is also a good one if you're feeling sick, to be honest." Another trick for those in need of an immediate way to cool down is by putting your forearms in cold, running water. The narrator from Resooma continued: "A quick way to bring down your body temperature is to run your forearms under cold water."
