The Newshound

Hosepipe bans could last until spring as experts warn Britain needs seven months of RELENTLESS rain to end drought

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Sunny skies over Britain, where a ten-day warm spell beginning Sunday is expected to bring 25C highs to London, Reading and Cambridge before autumn conditions return in October.
Sunny skies over Britain, where a ten-day warm spell beginning Sunday is expected to bring 25C highs to London, Reading and Cambridge before autumn conditions return in October.

Nearly three-quarters of England is still in active drought — the worst since 1976 — despite recent wet weather, and the Environment Agency has cautioned that hosepipe bans may remain in place into early next year. Officials say that for all areas to exit drought conditions, the country must receive 120% of normal rainfall across the next seven months. Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy warned that "a few weeks of rain cannot reverse the deficit we face from the very dry spring and summer."

Reservoir levels sit roughly 20% below where they should be at this point in the year, with rivers still struggling to recover.

Spring delivered only 56% of normal rainfall, and July was the driest on record, leaving groundwaters critically depleted.

The Met Office is forecasting a return to drier conditions in the second half of September — particularly in the south, where rain is needed most.

MoreGB NewsUK weather: Hosepipe bans across Britain could stay in force until next spring despite weeks of rain - GB NewsMetroWet weather has returned to the UK — but hosepipe bans are far from overiNewsSeven months of relentless rain needed to end drought
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