England saw its wettest week in seven months at the end of August and into early September, yet the country remains gripped by drought, with hosepipe bans still affecting 28 million people across three-quarters of England and all of Wales. The Met Office reported further heavy rain, strong winds and thunder on Monday, but forecasters and the Environment Agency warned that a spell of wet weather cannot undo the damage caused by months of exceptionally dry conditions, meaning restrictions are set to remain in place for now.

The week of 28 August to 3 September brought between 26mm and 48mm of rain depending on region, the highest weekly total since early February, helping to improve river flows and soil moisture. However, reservoir storage nationally fell to 58 per cent, well below average, with 11 reservoirs less than half full, and the Environment Agency said "sustained rainfall across the country" is still needed. This follows the hottest summer on record and the driest July since 1836, with roughly 71 per cent of England affected by rapidly developing "flash drought" and ten areas of England still officially in drought status.