Environment Agency declares drought status in Yorkshire after the fifth driest April to September on record
9 October 2026
The Environment Agency declared that Yorkshire has officially entered drought status because of low water levels in reservoirs and rivers.
The Agency's Yorkshire area has had the 5th driest April to September on record.
River flow and groundwater levels in certain parts of the area are very low and have reached the Agency's trigger for declaring a drought.
The declaration follows a prolonged dry weather declaration made at the end of July.
Yorkshire joins central, southern and eastern England in drought status, while the North East and North West remain in prolonged dry weather.
This is the third drought in five years, after 2022 and 2025.
The Agency said England would need 120% of long-term average rainfall over the next seven months to come out of drought.
In plain words
Environment Agency Environment Agency — The public body that regulates water resources, flood risk and pollution in England.
Prolonged dry weather Prolonged dry weather — The stage the Environment Agency declares before drought, when rainfall has been persistently below normal.