The NDG (National Drought Group) met on 18 June and heard that while water resources remain relatively healthy following an exceptionally wet winter, some areas are already beginning to see the impacts of prolonged dry weather.
Parts of East Anglia have returned to prolonged dry weather status, while Devon and Cornwall could also enter prolonged dry weather later in the summer.
The late May heatwave, which saw temperatures exceed 30°C for six consecutive days in some areas, has added to concerns about the months ahead. England's three warmest springs on record have now occurred in 2024, 2025 and 2026, with nine of the ten warmest springs since 1884 taking place within the last 20 years.
Despite the dry conditions, reservoir storage for England is currently at 88.6%. However, the lack of spring rainfall has led to an early start to the irrigation of crops in the east and southeast with higher demand on farm irrigation reservoirs.
Between March and May, England received just 65% of the long-term average rainfall. There is also a clear regional divide. While Northern England saw 90% of average rainfall, Southern England recorded just 50%.
Extreme weather
“To safeguard our domestic food supply, we must build resilience to climate volatility.”
NFU Deputy President Paul Tompkins
NFU Deputy President Paul Tompkins said: “Food security depends on profitable farm businesses having reliable access to the water needed to produce food for the nation. Irrigation is vital for the growth of many crops.
“With current projections for summer water availability ranging from moderate to poor in parts of the country, it is essential that farmers and growers retain the flexibility within their licences to access water when it is available to sustain crop production.
“To safeguard our domestic food supply, we must build resilience to climate volatility. To secure farmers and growers’ access to water during shortages, they need enabling planning rules and regulatory reforms that support on-farm water storage, investment in water efficiency and innovation in more water-efficient crops and systems.”
The NFU has urged urgent action on water resilience as the threat posed by extreme weather grows.
The Environment Agency continues to warn of the possibility of a ‘flash drought’, which can be brought on by a sudden combination of very low rainfall and hot temperatures.
The Met Office forecast indicates that conditions are likely to remain dry and settled for July, with above average temperatures for many areas.
National Drought Group Chair and Director of Water at the Environment Agency Helen Wakeham said: “We enter summer in a generally favourable position, but we can never be complacent ahead of those crucial drier months.
“Heatwaves will continue to be a concern as they can drive spikes in water demand, so we need to continue to work collaboratively to use our finite water wisely.
“While many of us enjoy the hot weather, we ask everyone to be mindful of their water use. Every drop saved leaves more available for farmers, our local rivers and wildlife.”
Visit our dry weather information page to stay up to date.
More information is also available in the latest EA drought briefing.
Advice for farmers
The EA has published it’s latest edition of irrigation prospects for 2026, indicating that the situation is moderate to good, but parts of East Anglia and the West Midlands are projected to be moderate to poor.
For those facing issues with flooding and adverse conditions from the recent high rainfall, help and support is available via our adverse weather toolkit.
