Drought Hits England and Wales After Nearly Dry July

By early August 2026, half of England and all of Wales were officially in drought — meaning water supplies ran dangerously low. England got just 7% of its normal July rain; the south got 1%. About 23 million people face hosepipe bans, which stop garden-watering with hoses. It is the third drought in five years. The Met Office says summers could be 60% drier by 2070.