Research and analysis

Dry weather and drought in England: 14 to 20 November 2025

Updated 21 November 2025

Applies to England

1. Summary

Rainfall from Storm Claudia during the week to 18 November has improved the water resources position across central, eastern and northern England, with some parts of the country seeing more than a month’s rainfall in a couple of days.

As dry soils are being replenished, we have seen most public water supply reservoirs increase their storage levels. Total reservoir stocks across England for the period ending 18 November were 75.7%, an increase of 5.8% from the previous week.

As of 17 November, Ardingly Reservoir in Sussex, which is supplied by South East Water, has increased to 38.3% full; however, this is still very low compared to normal levels for the time of year. Average rainfall is needed over winter to allow levels to return to normal. South East Water has applied for a non-essential use ban (NEUB) on 24 October to restrict use by some businesses.

Temporary use bans (TUBs) remain in place for customers supplied by Yorkshire Water, parts of South East Water and parts of Thames Water. 

Most river flows have responded to this week’s rainfall and are either normal or above average for the time of year. There are three indicator sites classed as below normal in east and south east England. The River Severn in the West Midlands is exceptionally high, with flooding reported in the region. Despite the rainfall, some rivers in parts of East Anglia are below normal for the time of year. This may impact the ability for some abstractors to refill irrigation reservoirs, where hands off flows conditions are in force. There are currently 244 hands off flow restrictions in force on abstraction licences (down 109 from 353 last week), where river flows remain low.

The numbers of confirmed incidents caused by drought and dry weather showed a small increase in the last fortnight. There has been some improvement this week to canal supply reservoirs, and most levels are no longer at their lowest position on record for this time of year. Some reservoirs have been less responsive to recent rainfall, so some navigation restrictions on rivers and canals remain.

2. Area drought status

There have been no changes in area drought status this week.

2.1 Areas in drought

• Yorkshire (YOR)
• East Midlands (EMD)
• West Midlands (WMD)
• Parts of Sussex aligning with South East Water supply areas

2.2 Areas in prolonged dry weather

• North East (NEA)
• Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire (LNA)
• East Anglia (EAN)
• Thames (THM)
• Wessex (WSX)
• Solent and South Downs (SSD) – remaining parts of Area not in Drought status

2.3 Areas in recovery

• Cumbria & Lancashire (CLA)
• Greater Manchester Merseyside & Cheshire (GMC)

2.4 How the stages of drought response work

Each area is reviewing its status depending on the triggers they have outlined in their drought plan.

More detail of how we manage drought, including our 4 stages of drought response, is available in Drought: how it is managed in England.

3. Current water situation

In the first 18 days of November, all but southern England has received above average rainfall ranging from 145% of the November long term average (LTA) in central England to 66% LTA in the south east. Overall, England has already received the average amount of rainfall expected for the whole of the month.

Soil moisture deficits have reduced significantly this week particularly in central, east and south east England. Soils are now as wet as we would expect for this time of year across the country, increasing the chance of groundwater recharge when unsettled weather conditions return.

River flows increased at half of the reported sites following another wet week, with nearly all sites now classed as normal or higher for the time of year. The exceptions are 3 sites classed as below normal in east and south east England. The risk of flows receding quickly to low levels following a dry period remains.

Public water supply reservoir stocks across England for the period ending 18 November 2025 were 75.7%, having increased by 5.8% since last week and almost 10% in the last 2 weeks. Reservoir storage rose at all reported reservoirs. Ardingly reservoir storage has continued to improve, although average rainfall is needed over winter to allow levels to return to normal.

Groundwater levels continue to recede at the majority of sites across England. However, we are now starting to see significant recharge in the limestone aquifers of the Cotswolds and levels in the faster responding chalk aquifers across the South Downs have now stabilised. Most sites in chalk aquifers from Yorkshire to the Wessex and South Downs are below normal or lower for the time of year, as are sites in limestone aquifers in east and south east England.

More details are available in our water situation reports for England.

4. Public water supply

Water companies in drought continue to follow their drought plans. Several water companies have seen their water resource situation improve over the last week following recent rainfall and Storm Claudia. The concern for many water companies is now about the recovery of water resources over winter if conditions result in lower than average rainfall.

Water companies report their drought response using operational drought levels, from drought level 1 escalating to level 4.

4.1 Anglian Water

Anglian Water remains at drought level 1 in the following supply areas: Fenland, Lincolnshire Central, Norfolk Norwich and the Broads, Ruthamford Central, North, South, and West and Essex South. Reservoir levels continue to steadily decline.

4.2 Bristol Water

Bristol Water has moved from drought level 1 into business as usual. Reservoir storage has significantly increased by 10% since last week.

4.3 Cambridge Water

Cambridge Water remains at drought level 1. There is no significant change to its water resource position from last week.

4.4 Essex and Suffolk Water

Essex and Suffolk Water remains at drought level 1 in its Essex and Northern Central supply areas.

4.5 Northumbrian Water

Northumbrian Water remains at drought level 1. Reservoirs have seen some refill over the past week.

4.6 SES Water

SES Water remains at drought level 1. Reservoir storage has increased since last week.

4.7 Severn Trent Water

Severn Trent Water is at drought level 1 in its Strategic Grid North zone. The company has seen significant increases in reservoir storage over the past week. Severn Trent Water applied for its Ambergate drought permit (Derbyshire River Derwent) on 22 October, this was granted on 3 November.

4.8 Southern Water

Southern Water has moved to drought level 1 across its whole company area. The company removed the TUB in effect in its Hampshire and Isle of Wight areas on 31 October.

4.9 South East Water

South East Water remains at drought level 2 in its resource zones 2 and 3, with storage in Ardingly reservoir increasing over the last week. As of 17 November, the reservoir was at 38.3% total capacity. The company was granted its Ardingly winter drought permit on 22 September and applied for its River Ouse drought order to Defra on 10 October. South East Water implemented a TUB for customers in Kent and Sussex areas from 18 July 2025 and removed exemptions from this ban on 17 October. The company applied for a non-essential use drought order to restrict some uses of water by businesses on 24 October. Examples of banned activities include watering outdoor plants on commercial premises, cleaning windows, and filling swimming pools and ponds. The company states that it will only implement this if the drought worsens. The company is also reviewing and implementing additional options to bring water into the zone. More detail is available on the South East Water website.

4.10 South Staffordshire Water

South Staffordshire Water remains at drought level 1. Blithfield reservoir storage has increased by 13.4% to 67.8% since last week.

4.11 Thames Water

Thames Water remains at drought level 2 in its Swindon and Oxfordshire supply area (SWOX) and drought level 1 in its London zone. Thames Water implemented a TUB for its SWOX customers on 22 July.

4.12 Veolia Water Projects Limited

Veolia Water Projects Limited has returned to reporting its drought status at drought level 1, due to applying new modelling methods in calculating storage.

4.13 Wessex Water

Wessex Water remains at drought level 1b. Reservoir storage has increased over the past week. 

4.14 Yorkshire Water

Yorkshire Water remains at drought level 3. Reservoir storage has increased this week. Supply reservoirs total storage has increased by 15.22% since last week, to 80.5%. The company implemented a TUB on 11 July. We have now granted 44 drought permits to Yorkshire Water, and Defra granted 1 drought order. More detail is available on the Yorkshire Water website.

5. Agriculture

Despite the rainfall in the November, drought conditions remain in parts of the country. The recent rainfall will help abstractors to replenish supplies for next year’s irrigation season, as most river flows are normal or higher for the time of year. However, in parts of East Anglia some river flows are below normal for the time of year, and this may impact the ability for some abstractors to refill irrigation reservoirs, where hands of flows conditions are in force. There are currently 244 hands off flow restrictions in force on abstraction licences (down 109 from 353 last week), where river flows remain below average. Some concerns have been raised from Water Abstractor Groups regarding the current restrictions on abstraction licences used to refill winter farm reservoirs. Where licence conditions allow, abstractors are advised to refill irrigation reservoirs as soon as possible to ensure greater resilience for next year irrigation season.

Attention is now turning to establishing next year’s crops, with recent rainfall improving the conditions needed. The cold spell has helped ease pressures from disease and pests on crops from the mild autumn. Concerns remain heading into the winter on feed availability for livestock due to poor grass growth this summer and low-quality/quantity hay and straw from this year’s dry conditions.

The agriculture sector has been advised to plan for a dry winter and take actions to mitigate the impacts from drought continuing into next spring. Our winter irrigation prospects report has now been published on the Farming Advice Service website. This is similar to the spring irrigation prospects report to help farmers understand their refill potential of reservoirs over the winter, in addition to advice and support to improve water resilience.

We continue to engage and support the agriculture sector into the autumn and winter season.

We are proactively updating our drought weather communications, detailing the current drought situation, support available to help farmers improve access to water and preparation for this winter. Our Environment Agency dry weather farming blog and Water Hub webpage contains further information.

6. Energy

There are no known issues with the energy sector.

7. Environment

The number of incidents caused by drought and dry weather in 2025 is now at 302.

The 2 Environment Agency drought orders to protect the environment, both at Holme Styes reservoir, Holmfirth, Yorkshire (granted 28 July and 3 September) remain in place but are not in use due to the reservoir being full.

8. Navigation

There has been some recovery of canal supply reservoir groups and most levels are now no longer at their lowest position on record for this time of year. Some reservoirs remain less responsive to recent rainfall and so unfortunately some canal closures are still in place across parts of the Canal & River Trust’s 2,000-mile network. The Trust continues to monitor the situation and will reopen further canals as water levels improve. The latest closures and restrictions are listed on the Canal & River Trust website.

9. Weather forecast

Wintry conditions are likely to persist until the weekend when a change in wind direction will push in Atlantic weather fronts and unsettled conditions particularly across the south. Monday 24 November is expected to start unsettled in the east before turning drier for a time across all areas.

10. Drought readiness actions

In response to the drought and dry weather, the Environment Agency continues to act by:

• operating our Gold command structure for our national incident response
• planning for potential continuation of dry weather into winter and spring using the latest drought prospects information from water companies and other sectors
• coordinating closely with water companies to implement actions in statutory drought plans, taking necessary action to safeguard public water supplies
• activating drought plans for those Environment Agency areas in drought and PDW status
• enhancing abstraction licence compliance checks and issuing hands off flow / level restrictions and warnings to some abstractors in areas experiencing low flows
• monitoring, preparing and responding to incidents caused by low river flows, particularly in those Environment Agency Areas in drought status
• providing dry weather advice to fishery operators to help protect their waters
• hosting regular national drought meetings

The next National Drought Group meeting is scheduled for 8 December.

11. Contact us

Contact drought.national@environment-agency.gov.uk if you have questions about this report.