Officials are set to declare drought conditions in additional parts of England on Monday, adding to the half of the country already facing water scarcity. The National Drought Group, comprising regulators, government officials, water companies, and agricultural bodies, will convene to assess the ongoing situation.
Much of southern England is already under official drought status following an unusually hot and dry summer. Heatwave conditions are forecast to return for many areas this week, increasing the likelihood of further water use restrictions. Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, indicated that the number of people subject to hosepipe bans could rise beyond the current 23 million.
Bentley described the recent summer as "exceptional, unprecedented," adding that such conditions are becoming the "new norm." She suggested that the north-west of England, currently classified as experiencing "prolonged dry weather," may be among the regions where drought will be officially declared.
The areas already officially designated as being in drought include East Anglia, Hertfordshire, London, Thames Valley, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Devon, Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex. Wessex encompasses Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire.
The prolonged dry spell has resulted in visibly parched landscapes, with aerial views showing yellowing fields and depleted reservoirs. 
