England in Crisis: 71.3% of Nation Faces Flash Drought

As of the week of August 15, 2026, over 71.3% of England is officially in a state of drought. This situation has developed rapidly, categorized as a 'flash drought,' stemming from a severe lack of rainfall coupled with high temperatures.

Forecasts indicate that much of the country will experience dry weather on Sunday, August 16, with specific areas like Portsmouth, Oxford, and Cornwall expected to see no rain. Northern Ireland will receive rain, but Belfast is anticipated to remain dry.

Isolated thunderstorms with heavy downpours are possible across eastern England this evening and overnight. While southeastern parts of the country will remain warm and muggy, other regions will experience fresher temperatures. Showers are expected in northern Scotland.

Saturday is set to be widely fine with sunny spells and near-average temperatures across most of England. However, heavy showers and thunderstorms may persist in southeast England. Northern Scotland will continue to see showers.

From Sunday to Tuesday, fresher conditions are expected to reach the southeast, with generally dry weather and sunny spells anticipated for the early part of the week. The northwest will become breezier as rain bands move in, potentially bringing heavy rainfall.