The National Drought Group has warned that several regions across England are now in "prolonged dry weather" - the stage immediately before drought is officially declared. The affected areas include the West Midlands, East Anglia, Devon, Cornwall, Lincolnshire, Hertfordshire, London and much of the south and east.
With the West Mids area potentially affected, Gnosall may at some point be officially in drought conditions.
How dry has it been?
It has been an exceptionally dry summer across much of the UK, with three widespread heatwaves and the longest run of dry days in central England since 1995. England has received just 3% of its usual July rainfall, with some areas in the south and east seeing no rain at all.
The good news is that drought has not taken hold as quickly as last summer - when it was declared across much of England and Wales - because heavy autumn and winter rainfall topped up rivers, reservoirs and underground water supplies. That drought only officially ended four months ago.
What does this mean for people?
- 23 million people across England are already facing water restrictions, including hosepipe bans.
- River levels are critically low - 87% of catchments in England are at "below normal to exceptionally low" levels.
- Farmers are working around the clock to harvest early crops and protect livestock, with fears of another difficult and expensive season.
What weather is coming to Gnosall?
There is little relief in sight. High pressure will keep conditions dry for at least the next five days. Some rain could arrive from the north-west over the weekend, but it is likely to stay over Scotland and Northern Ireland, with little reaching the Gnosall and Stafford area.
Beyond that, forecasters suggest the rest of summer could remain largely dry and warm in the south, though thunderstorms are possible.
The bigger picture
Scientists say sudden shifts from wet to dry conditions - known as flash droughts - are likely to become more common and more intense as the climate changes. The Met Office expects UK summers to become hotter and drier, with summers potentially up to 60% drier and up to 6C warmer by 2070 compared to 1990.
How Will Gnosall Fare in a Drought?
With BBC Weather warning that parts of England could be heading towards drought conditions, I began wondering what that might mean for Gnosall and the surrounding countryside.
While most of us will notice browner lawns and a few wilted plants, farmers often feel the impact first. Past droughts, including the famous summer of 1976 and more recently in 2022, led to lower crop yields, reduced grazing for livestock and increased costs across the agricultural sector. Given the amount of farmland surrounding Gnosall, a prolonged dry spell could place pressure on local farms if significant rainfall doesn't arrive soon.
The good news is that Staffordshire isn't among the UK's most water-stressed regions. Even so, with hotter and drier summers becoming more common, drought is no longer something that only affects the south of England. It will be interesting to see whether the current dry weather proves to be a short-lived inconvenience or the start of a more challenging season for our local countryside.
Let's keep our fingers crossed for a little rain - but not too much!
Source: bbc.co.uk
