Parts of Britain set for much needed rain as UK suffers under 'exceptionally dry spell'

Parts of Britain are set for much needed rain after a long dry spell and multiple heatwaves.

A weak weather front is expected to move southwards across the country at the weekend, delivering light but welcome rainfall, primarily across northern and western areas.

The forecast change comes after an extraordinarily punishing summer, during which three heatwaves have struck western Europe in the space of just three months, and England and Wales recorded their driest spring since records began.

Eight regions, including East Anglia, the West Midlands, Devon, Cornwall, and large parts of southern England, have been placed under "prolonged dry weather" declarations by the Environment Agency, leaving them just one step from official drought status.

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Met Office chief forecaster Steve Willington said: "The high pressure has been a key feature of the UK's weather forecast over the last few weeks, bringing above-average temperatures and extremely dry conditions for many.

"However, we will begin to see a modest change as a weak weather front pushes south across the UK on Saturday bringing some much-needed rain, albeit it light and mainly concentrated in the north and west.

"Behind the front a showery air mass will bring potentially heavy showers some of which may be thundery."

Until the weekend conditions will remain fine and warm for many with some locations, especially in southern and southwestern parts, just remaining in heatwave thresholds, albeit temporarily.

Hosepipe bans have proliferated across the country, with officials estimating that 23 million people in England are now subject to or facing water use restrictions.

The bans, imposed by a growing list of suppliers, prohibit the use of hosepipes for activities such as watering gardens, washing vehicles and filling paddling pools.

Thames Water, the nation's largest water supplier, has imposed a temporary use ban affecting 10.1 million customers across London, the Thames Valley and the Home Counties.

The company said demand is running 100 million litres per day above normal levels, with usage 10 per cent higher than typical in the Thames Valley and Home Counties and seven per cent above average in the capital.

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Director of strategic water resources at Thames Water Nevil Muncaster said: "We would not be taking this step unless it was necessary to protect water supplies for everyone and the environment."

Reservoir levels are also causing alarm, with six classified as "notably low" by the Environment Agency, among them Wimbleball in Somerset, Grafham in Cambridgeshire and Hanningfield in Essex.

Just 13 per cent of rivers are flowing at normal levels for the season.

However, despite the welcome prospect of rainfall, forecasters have warned it will fall well short of what is needed to replenish parched landscapes.

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Greg Wolverson said: "Although there is a return to rain in the forecast, we have just come out of an exceptionally dry spell and the forecast rain is unlikely to be widespread or substantial.

"Many areas are likely to continue experiencing prevailing dry conditions for the foreseeable future, especially in southern England."

Temperatures from Sunday are expected to feel fresher, though they should remain close to the seasonal average, with brighter intervals next week likely to push the mercury back into the mid-20s.

Meanwhile, the Met Office is urging the public to stay hydrated, limit sun exposure during peak hours and apply adequate sun protection, with UV and pollen levels forecast to remain high or very high across much of the country.

The economic toll of this summer's extreme heat has been stark.

Research led by the London School of Economics' Grantham Research Institute and the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change found that June's heatwave alone cost the UK economy an estimated £1.15billion, with 24 million working hours lost during the record-breaking week beginning June 22.

Some 87 per cent of those surveyed reported at least one health-related effect, from sleep disruption to more serious symptoms such as dizziness and a rapid heartbeat.

Workers in physically demanding outdoor roles, including construction and agriculture, cut their hours most significantly.

Director of the Grantham Research Institute Elizabeth Robinson said: "Our findings point to a country that remains insufficiently adapted to the changing climate."

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