Latest news with #National Drought Group
Daily Mail
12-08-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Britain melts in 34C heatwave: Health alerts in force as England suffers water shortages - and experts warn newbuild homes are too hot to live in
Parts of Britain are set to hit 34C with health alerts in force amid water shortages in England. The country's fourth heatwave of the summer will be at its peak today, with Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and the outskirts of London set to see the highest temperatures. An amber health alert came into force at 9am for the Midlands, South East, East of England, and London. There are yellow alerts in place across the rest of England. Today will be the fourteenth day that the mercury has risen past the 30C mark, with the heatwave set to continue for the rest of this week. Temperatures are expected to hit 31C on Friday. It comes amid the National Drought Group declaring that England is suffering from 'nationally significant' water shortfalls. While people living in newbuild flats in east London have complained about the sweltering conditions during the heat, saying it is 'unbearable' to live in. The UK Health Security Agency has warned of significant impacts across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Officials have recommended closing windows and curtains in rooms facing the sun to keep them cool, wearing a hat and sunglasses and covering up to protect from sunburn, and exercising in the morning or evening 'when it is cooler'. Professor Karol Sikora, the former director of a World Health Organisation programme, said the warnings were 'complete nanny state'. Of the UKHSA, he added: 'They are trying to justify their existence. Torremolinos [on the Spanish Costa del Sol] is full of oldies like me basking in the sun.' Meanwhile, former Conservative minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said: 'I suggest people put on a Panama hat and drink a glass of refreshing Pimm's while ignoring those wastrels at the UKHSA who would be more use if they joined the junior doctors on strike.' Meanwhile, people living inside newbuild flats in Tower Hamlets have long complained about the During last year's summer heat, one fed-up Leaside Lock resident showcased their desperation to the outside world by plastering a warning note to their window. 'Do not buy these flats. Too hot,' it said in capital letters. At the nearby Three Waters block of flats, Sandra Monteiro, 41, told The Guardian that temperatures inside her 11th-floor home have not gone below 27C for the past two months. 'It feels like you're in a trap,' the SEND teacher said. Wednesday could bring 33C to 34C heat to eastern England including Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and East Anglia, and Thursday may see 29C to 30C in London and East Anglia. Monday's highest temperature was 31.9C at Heathrow. Seasonal averages are generally between 18C and 22C in Britain, and go up to 23C for London. Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said yesterday that the UK is on day two of the heatwave and there is 'overall a very hot, very warm week to come'. The Met Office defines a heatwave as temperatures meeting or exceeding a certain threshold for three consecutive days or more. This is 25C for most of the UK, but rises to 28C in London and its surrounding area, where temperatures are typically higher. It is the fourth heatwave the UK has experienced this summer and it comes after the warmest June and fifth warmest July since records began. Lower pressure to the west and higher pressure to the east of the country is creating a southerly airflow which is drawing in hot and humid air from Europe, he added. The near continent is experiencing high temperatures with France reaching the low 40Cs on Monday. 'As we go through the week, there's lots of sunshine and the air isn't really going anywhere ... that sort of then hangs around,' he added. 'It's drawing in at the moment and then sort of stays across the UK for the rest of the week.' Fire spread around three hectares of grass in Wanstead Flats, east London, on Monday afternoon. Wales may see its hottest day of the year on Tuesday but temperatures are not expected to break 2025 records in other parts of the UK. England's high for 2025 stands at 35.8C recorded in Faversham, Kent, on July 1. On Monday, officials warned that England is suffering from 'nationally significant' water shortfalls despite rain in July. The national drought group - which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies and other organisations - has met as five areas of the country remain in drought, with six more in prolonged dry weather status. England is seeing widespread environmental and agricultural impacts from the lack of water, which is hitting crop yields, reducing feed for livestock, damaging wetlands and river wildlife, and increasing wildfires, the group said. Experts warn climate change is heatwaves more frequent and severe.
The Guardian
12-08-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Experts discuss plans to save water as dry conditions worsen across England
A nationally significant water shortfall is gripping England, the government has warned, as experts say the conditions could last until mid-autumn. The National Drought Group met to discuss actions to save water across the country, and Steve Reed, the environment secretary, briefed the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, about the risks posed by the dry weather. Water companies are preparing to take more drastic measures to conserve water as supplies dwindle. Southern Water, some of whose customers are already under a hosepipe ban, has applied for a non-essential use ban that would prohibit businesses from taking actions such as filling swimming pools or cleaning their windows. The company has also applied for an emergency order to take water from a rare chalk stream after it drops below its ecologically safe water flow. The drought is hitting many sectors across the country, with many canals shut to navigation due to low water levels, farmers struggling to grow crops and feed livestock, and higher numbers of fish die-offs being reported by anglers and others who use England's rivers. Two rivers, the Wye and the Great Ouse at Ely, were at their lowest on record for July, and only 89% of long-term average rainfall was recorded for the month across England. This is the sixth consecutive month of below-average rainfall. Five areas of England are in drought: Yorkshire; Cumbria and Lancashire; Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire; East Midlands; and West Midlands. Dry conditions could last well into October, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology has warned, which would put higher pressure on water supplies as rivers, reservoirs and aquifers are at very low points after a very dry spring and summer. Its latest hydrological outlook says: 'Normal to below normal groundwater levels are likely to persist through both August and the August-October period.' It added the situation would continue for 'low river flows across central and southern England'. More parts of the country could be at risk of being plunged into drought conditions as aquifers are depleted. These are underground stores of water which take a long time, and a lot of sustained rainfall, to recharge. These were full after a very wet winter in 2024 and the start of 2025, but the dry conditions have caused them to become depleted. At the moment, it is mainly areas reliant on reservoirs and chalk streams that are facing drought and hosepipe bans, as areas such as London have been able to use the resources from the chalk aquifer. The hydrological forecast warns: 'The outlook for August is for normal to below normal levels, with notably to exceptionally low levels for the southern chalk and carboniferous limestones in central southern England, south Wales and the South Downs. Over August-October, normal to below normal levels are the most likely outcome.' The National Drought Group – which includes the Met Office, the government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers' Union, the Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts – used the meeting to highlight the water-saving measures each sector is taking. Dr Will Lang, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'This week is starting off warmer than of late across England and Wales, with temperatures getting towards the mid-30s celsius for some in the south. 'As we move into the second half of August there are indications of high pressure building and therefore largely settled conditions overall. Although dry weather is more likely, rain, showers or thunderstorms cannot be ruled out.' The Environment Agency's director of water and the National Drought Group chair, Helen Wakeham, said: 'The current situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment. 'Water companies must continue to quickly fix leaks and lead the way in saving water. 'We know the challenges farmers are facing and will continue to work with them, other land users and businesses to ensure everyone acts sustainably.'
CTV News
12-08-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
England faces ‘nationally significant' water shortfall
Thames Water signage explaining the nearby pipe replacement work being carried out, in London. England's water shortfall was classed as 'nationally significant' as it experienced its driest first six months of the year since 1976, the Environment Agency said on Tuesday. The EA said five out of its 14 operating regions in England are experiencing drought conditions and six more are enduring prolonged dry weather, facing depleted water supplies and damaged crop yields. The National Drought Group which includes the government, farming representatives and water companies has met to discuss the situation, as parts of England geared up for the fourth heatwave this summer. 'We are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment,' said the EA's Director of Water Helen Wakeham. Vice-President of the National Farmers Union Rachel Hallos said there was 'growing concern about the months ahead' as farmers continued to face 'extremely dry conditions'. 'Some farms are reporting significant drop in yields which is financially devastating for the farm business and could have impacts for the UK's overall harvest,' Hallos said. Reservoir levels across England stood at only 67.7 per cent full, below the average for the first week of August which is 80.5 per cent. And 49 percent of river flows were below normal, the EA said, as Yorkshire in northern England banned hosepipe use. England experienced its driest spring in more than 100 years in 2025, according to the Met Office weather service. 'We face a growing water shortage in the next decade,' said Water Minister Emma Hardy, adding that the government planned to build new reservoirs to safeguard supplies. Scientists warn that human-driven climate change is making extreme weather events like floods, heatwaves and droughts more intense and frequent.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
More of England likely to be declared in drought
More English regions are expected to join the North West and Yorkshire in an official drought on Tuesday after yet another hot and dry spell of weather. The announcement is likely to come after the National Drought Group – which manages preparations for dry conditions in England – meets on Tuesday morning. Declaring a drought means that water companies put in place their plans to manage water resources. That can involve hosepipe bans, but not always. Droughts are driven by natural weather patterns, but climate change and our growing use of water are raising the risks of water shortages, the Environment Agency says. Will there be a drought where I live? How dry has it really been and do we need more hosepipe bans? Extreme weather is the UK's new normal, says Met Office The National Drought Group is made up of the Environment Agency, government, Met Office, water companies and others. There are no official droughts in Wales and Northern Ireland at the moment. Scotland does not declare droughts but monitors "water scarcity". Parts of eastern Scotland are in "moderate" scarcity – the second most extreme category – which means there is "clear" environmental impact. In England there is no single definition of drought, but it is ultimately caused by a prolonged period of low rainfall, which has knock-on effects for nature, agriculture and water supplies. England had its driest spring in more than 100 years, followed by three heatwaves in quick succession for some areas in June and July. That intense warmth has drawn even more moisture out of the soil. So while it may be raining where you live today, it's unlikely to be enough to bring water levels back to normal across the country. The Environment Agency (EA) declares droughts in England based on reservoir levels, river flows and how dry the soil is, alongside long-term weather forecasts. "We certainly expect more regions to enter drought status," said Richard Thompson, deputy director of water resources at the EA, adding that further details would be announced later on Tuesday. In a "reasonable worst-case scenario" - where regions get 80% of their long-term average rainfall - another five regions across central and southern England could enter drought status by September, joining Yorkshire and the North West, according to the EA. Current long-term forecasts suggest roughly normal levels of rainfall over the next few months, however. If further droughts are declared, it does not automatically mean that hosepipe bans will be put in place, but these can often follow. Some regions, such as parts of Kent and Sussex, have already declared hosepipe bans, but are not in drought status. The EA warned last month that England's water supplies could face a shortfall of six billion litres a day by 2055 without dramatic action, driven by rising temperatures, population growth and other factors. Climate change is expected to lead to drier summers on average, while more intense heatwaves mean more water can be lost via evaporation. A simple guide to climate change Four ways climate change worsens extreme weather Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to keep up with the latest climate and environment stories with the BBC's Justin Rowlatt. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.
