A drought has been declared in Yorkshire following record-breaking dry weather in the spring and summer, the Environment Agency has said.
The region was in ‘prolonged dry weather’ status since the end of July after a lack of spring and summer rainfall but was upgraded to ‘drought’ on Friday.
It follows an usually dry September, with the ongoing lack of rainfall into the autumn months causing the flow in rivers and groundwater levels to reach very low levels in parts of Yorkshire, officials said.
It is the latest area to declare a drought, joining all of central, southern and eastern England.
The North West and North East remain in prolonged dry weather status.
The entirety of Wales was also placed in drought status in July, while areas of northern England also issued warnings about exceptionally low rainfall levels.
At Wisley in Surrey, 62 days went by without a drop of airborne moisture from June 17.
Much of the country remains in drought status after a very dry spring and summer that brought successive heatwaves, putting huge pressure on water supplies.
While the last month has finally brought some meaningful rain to parched areas, hosepipe bans remain in place with no prospect of being lifted soon.
Experts have previously warned it will take months for water supplies to recover after some areas of Britain went two months without any rainfall this summer. Research has found it would take 120 per cent of average rainfall for the next seven months for all areas in England to no longer be in drought.
A drought has been declared in Yorkshire following record-breaking dry weather in the spring and summer, the Environment Agency has said (Pictured: Low levels of water at Baitings Reservoir in Yorkshire in 2025)
Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire Vicki Townend said: ‘The Yorkshire area has had the fifth driest April to September on record.
‘This ongoing lack of rainfall means the flow in rivers and groundwater levels in certain parts of our area are very low and have now reached our trigger for declaring a drought.
‘Even if we receive a few weeks of rain, we cannot quickly reverse the effects of the lack of rainfall during a very dry spring and summer.’
Ms Townend said the Environment Agency will continue to closely monitor the situation while implementing Yorkshire’s drought plan.
She also warned that heavier rainfall and drier summers will become more frequent as the UK sees more impacts from climate change.
‘We encourage people to be aware of the impacts of drought and use a little less water to speed up the recovery from drought.’
Over the summer, the Environment Agency increased its operational response amid the period of drought by controlling how much water can be taken from rivers and groundwaters.
Both England and Wales saw their driest ever July this year in almost 200 years of records.
The National Drought Group, which includes the government, Met Office, regulators, water companies, farmers, Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts, is meeting weekly to monitor the situation and coordinate action.
There have been droughts in three of the past five years: in 2022, 2025 and 2026.
The government says that as a result of climate change, ‘we are experiencing longer hotter summers and more intense rainfall in winters, leading to an increased likelihood of drought and flooding events’.
Water Minister Emma Hardy said: ‘The recent rainfall is not yet enough to replenish all the water we’ve used over the spring and summer, and the Yorkshire drought declaration highlights the situation is still serious.
‘The Government is carefully monitoring the actions of all water companies, and expect them to follow their drought plans, quickly fix leaks, and reduce demand.
‘Long-term resilience against our changing climate is a priority for this government. Our strengthened Water Bill will start a decade-long journey to a very different water system, including nine new major reservoirs to secure supplies.’
Andy Shaw, head of water production, treatment and energy at Yorkshire Water, said: ‘Yorkshire has experienced an exceptionally hot and dry summer, and conditions have remained dry into September, with the region receiving just over half the normal long term average rainfall in the month. This has placed continued pressure on reservoirs, groundwater sources and rivers across the region.
‘The Environment Agency’s decision to move Yorkshire into drought reflects these conditions, but it does not mean water restrictions are currently needed.
‘Through careful management of our water resources, extensive work to reduce leakage and the operation of our regional water network, we are not planning to introduce water restrictions for customers at this time.
‘Winter rainfall will be important in helping reservoir and groundwater levels recover, and we will continue to monitor conditions closely.
‘Water demand remains unusually high for this time of year, so we are asking customers to continue using water wisely wherever possible. Small actions such as shorter showers, running full washing machine loads and checking for leaks at home can make a real difference.
‘At the same time, our teams continue to work around the clock to reduce leakage, maximise water supplies and ensure homes and businesses across Yorkshire continue to receive the water they need.’
