- The Environment Agency has warned that England faces widespread drought next year without a wet winter, with Yorkshire and the Midlands already in drought and other areas experiencing “exceptionally dry conditions”.
- England has received only 83 per cent of its average rainfall from January to October, enduring its driest spring in 132 years and the hottest summer on record, making the current situation “precarious”.
- A dry winter could lead to severe consequences by next spring, including hosepipe bans, impacts on crops and wildlife and increased wildfire risks across much or all of the country.
- The Met Office forecasts a higher than usual likelihood of dry conditions from November to January, exacerbating the risk, while the Environment Agency has outlined scenarios ranging from recovery with average rainfall to country-wide drought with only 60 per cent of average.
- The Environment Agency is urging the public to continue water efficiency, water companies to reduce leakage and farmers to adapt, with the government also investing in long-term water resilience measures.
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