England is under an “extreme heat” alert and authorities have declared that 71.3% of the territory is now in drought conditions, after the country recorded its driest July since records began in 1836.
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In this regard, the Meteorological Office noted that the entire United Kingdom is on track to record the hottest summer in its history in terms of average temperature, and it would only take normal conditions for the rest of August to break the record set last year.
It is even more likely that England and Wales will reach a new historic record, dating back to 1884. “After the second warmest June and second warmest July on record, and with another heatwave imminent, everything seems increasingly likely in the UK,” said the Meteorological Office’s chief scientist, Mike Kendon, quoted by The Guardian newspaper.
“We have seen temperatures reach 38 °C in June, 35 °C in early and late July, and it seems this threshold will be reached again in the coming days. These statistics are a clear reminder, if one were needed, of the drastic changes we are witnessing in the UK’s climate,” he added.
The record for average maximum temperatures for the warmest summer recorded in the UK, set in the iconic summer of 1976, is on track to be surpassed. The Meteorological Office indicated that for this to happen, the rest of August would only need to exceed the 1991-2020 summer average by 0.72 °C.
The climate crisis, caused by pollution from burning fossil fuels, makes each heatwave more likely and intense.
On the other hand, on Monday the National Drought Group, made up of regulatory bodies, government officials, water companies, and agricultural entities, moved the regions of East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and Sussex, and Solent and South Downs to drought status, joining half of England and all of Wales.
Currently, a total of 45 million people live in drought-affected areas in England, and more than 27 million face water use restrictions, the BBC reported.
The chairman of the National Drought Group, Tony Grayling, told the network that drought conditions will continue to worsen until “significant and sustained rainfall” occurs.
Next week is expected to remain mostly dry as the fifth heatwave of the year intensifies, although there are signs that some rain will arrive in the UK on Sunday.
“We know that warm and dry weather is severely affecting agriculture and will have long-term repercussions on our environment,” Grayling said in a statement. He added that “we need everyone’s help to use a little less water to ensure our current water supplies last.”
The National Drought Group stated that most of England is experiencing a sudden drought, which “develops very quickly” and is “caused by a combination of very low rainfall and higher temperatures.”
Yorkshire and northeast England have moved to the “prolonged dry weather” phase, which is the stage before drought. Currently, no place in England is considered “normal.”
According to the BBC, the heat persists, and the UK Health Security Agency issued orange heat health alerts for all of England, except the northeast, from Tuesday at 09:00 until Friday at 21:00.
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An orange alert means that significant impacts on health and social care services due to high temperatures are likely.
In this context, it has been warned that persistent heat and dry conditions increase the risk of wildfires. Dozens of firefighters are currently battling a fire in New Forest in Hampshire, southeast England, which early Monday was estimated to cover an area of 140 football fields (99.9 hectares).
Scotland and Northern Ireland have not experienced drought conditions and are expected to have periods of heavy rain during the next week.
According to the BBC, Scotland does not declare drought but does monitor “water scarcity.”
Although conditions have improved in some parts of Scotland after recent rains, some areas in the east remain in the two most extreme categories of “moderate” or “significant” scarcity, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency indicated.
Julie Henri, senior climate advocacy advisor at WaterAid UK, told the BBC: “This summer should be a wake-up call. Burning forests, reservoirs at low levels, and now the hottest summer on record, as climate change causes more frequent and severe droughts.”
“It is a powerful reminder that water security is human security: our health, our food systems, our economies, and our livelihoods depend on it. We already have many of the solutions needed to address water insecurity; what is missing is the investment to scale them up,” she added.
“Around the world, communities living with chronic water scarcity are pioneering solutions that build drought resilience, from solar-powered water systems that keep water flowing during dry periods in Zambia to rainwater harvesting systems that help ensure supply across South Asia,” she said.
And she added: “To withstand the impact of the climate crisis, the new UK government needs to accelerate investment in global climate adaptation and water security to build a healthier and more resilient future for all.”
Meanwhile, the impact of drought on agriculture is driving up food prices in UK supermarkets.
According to Radio France Internationale (RFI), one of the worst harvests since 1984 is expected. The UK usually imports 40% of its food, but continental Europe is suffering the same heatwave and drought, preventing it from turning to neighboring markets to offset shortages or get cheaper prices.
The effects are already being seen in supermarkets. Lettuce prices have nearly doubled, tomatoes cost 60% more, and potatoes 40% more since early summer. British farmers are demanding urgent financial aid and water infrastructure to avoid bankruptcy, while analysts warn supermarket inflation will soar to 5% or even 8% in winter, RFI reports.
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