Flooding during a drought is possible as dry soils struggle to soak up intense downpours
15:32, 15 Sep 2025Updated 16:09, 15 Sep 2025
Parts of the UK remain in drought despite the recent rain(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
Despite the recent rain, the government has warned that five UK regions remain in drought after an uncharacteristically dry summer.
While parts of the UK remain in a drought, the Met Office has warned that flooding is still possible as dry soil struggles to soak up intense downpours.
On Monday, September 15, The National Drought Group (NDG) warned that the current drought is far from over. Even with the wet weather at the end of the month, August’s rainfall was just 42 per cent of its long-term average and the summer has been declared the hottest since records began in 1884.
A general view of low water levels at Broomhead Reservoir, South Yorkshire(Image: PA)
Five UK areas now remain in drought, with more likely to declare drought status within the next few weeks, as groundwater and reservoir levels across England continue to recede.
The UK’s lack of rainfall has impacted harvests, navigation, and seen restrictions in the form of several hosepipe bans. It also has a significant impact on the breeding pattern of some animals, as well as peatlands drying out and at least 3,000 hectares of SSSI land (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) destroyed by wildfire.
A drought is only officially over when groundwater, river and reservoir levels are fully replenished, and experts have warned it will take a wet autumn and winter to reverse the impacts of seven continuous months of below average rainfall.
This means flooding during a drought is possible, including flash floods as dry soils struggle to soak up intense downpours.
Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: “While we have seen some recent rain, it is nowhere near enough to reverse the impact of the last seven months, which have been the driest since 1976.
“The environment bears the brunt of this lack of rainfall, and this summer we have seen widespread impacts from low river levels, fish needing to be rescued, and wildfires.
“We are calling on everyone to continue to take simple steps to reduce their water use and are grateful to people for following the restrictions imposed by water companies. By saving water, we all leave more water in the environment.
“Water is finite and there are competing demands between public use, businesses, agriculture, and the environment. During drought, water still needs to be abstracted from rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater but summer rainfall typically doesn’t replenish these sources.”
Dramatically low reservoir levels are revealing lost structures from landscapes drowned decades ago, including the remains of a bridge inundated when the reservoir was built in the 1920s(Image: PA)
The NDG – which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union, Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts – praised the public for helping to reduce their own water use. Lowering water use means less needs to be taken from local rivers and lakes therefore protects the health of our waterways and wildlife.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Will Lang, said: “The top five warmest UK summers on record have all occurred since 2000, with summer 2025 now officially the hottest.
“High pressure dominated throughout the season, bringing persistent warmth, below-average rainfall, and drought conditions for many areas.
“Looking ahead, while the longer-range forecast suggests a trend towards wetter-than-average conditions, rainfall is expected to vary significantly across regions, with more rain expected to western and northern parts of the UK, while eastern and southern areas may remain drier.
“Importantly, even with the overall signal for wetter weather, and the chance for flooding in some places, this does not guarantee that current drought conditions will ease consistently across the country.”
Flooding is still possible while in a drought as the dry soil struggles to soak up heavy downpours of rain(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
Dr Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said: “Drought conditions are having a catastrophic effect on our flora and fauna, which lasts long after rain returns.
“Some Atlantic salmon streams have dried up and there are declining populations of wetland birds and amphibians. Garden animals such as hedgehogs are dying because their insect-based food sources disappear during drought.
“Many farmers have really suffered this year because of drought, following a year when they were hit by extremely wet weather. As the impacts of climate change ramp up we will experience more of these kinds of extremes.
“We need to take action now to make our landscapes more resilient, including through the creation of more wetlands to help cope with the effects of both drought and flood.”
The five areas that remain in drought are:
- Cumbria and Lancashire
- Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire
- Yorkshire
- East Midlands
- West Midlands
A further six areas are seeing prolonged dry weather, which is the stage before drought, according to the EA. They are:
- North East
- Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire
- East Anglia
- Thames
- Wessex
- Solent and South Downs
How to save water at home
- Install a rain butt to collect rainwater to use in the garden.
- When it’s dry and hot, use water from the kitchen to water your plants.
- Avoid watering your lawn – brown grass will grow back healthy.
- Turn off the taps when brushing teeth or shaving.
- Take shorter showers.
- Fix a leaking toilet – leaky loos can waste 200-400 litres a day.