This month has been the driest July for England since 1911, the Met Office has revealed.
The latest data revealed there had only been 15.8mm (0.6inches) of rain averaged across the country, just 24% of the amount that would be expected on average.
The national weather agency said that at this stage in the month - up to July 26 - the country would have expected well over three-quarters of the month's rain to have already fallen.
Britain recorded temperatures exceeding 40C for the first time last week, sparking health warnings across the country.
Across the UK, it has been the driest July since 1984 so far, with an average of 37.7mm (1.5 inches) of rain, and it is the eighth driest in records stretching back to 1836.
Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office National Climate Information Centre, said: “It is not just July that has been dry.
“Since the start of the year, all months apart from February have been drier than average in the UK too.
“The result of this is that the winter, spring and summer of 2022 have all seen less than the UK average seasonal rainfall.
“England has seen the lowest levels during these periods and rainfall totals for the first six months of the year are around 25% below their long-term average, with the driest regions in the east and south-east.”
But the Met Office warned against comparing 2022 too closely to 1976 because, despite the dry trend, England has had 30% more rain over the first six months of the year than it did 46 years ago.
The Environment Agency met yesterday with the Government, water companies, Water UK, the NFU and environmental protection groups amid drought fears.
It said most of England has moved into a 'prolonged dry weather' status meaning the EA and water firms are now moving to protect resources.
However, this does not mean the country is "in drought" and most water suppliers are maintaining good reservoir storage for the season's demand.
The meeting didn't rule out further measures, including hosepipe bans - something already in place on the Isle of Man as of Friday last week.
Islanders who flout the ban face prosecution and fines of up to £2,000.
Brits have instead been urged to "carefully consider the amount they are using given the unprecedented conditions".
It was estimated that by 2050, some rivers could have between 50% and 80% less water during the summer, and summer temperatures are set to be up to 7.4 degrees hotter.
If there is no significant rain in the next few weeks, many areas will tip into the “drought” stage, which could lead to hosepipe bans and restrictions for farmers irrigating their crops.
Harvey Bradshaw, chairman of the National Drought Group, said: “We can all do our bit by reducing unnecessary water consumption.”
Stuart Colville, of Water UK, said the Water’s Worth Saving campaign provided the public with “helpful hints and tips on how to do their bit”.
England and Wales have had the driest spell since 1976, and farmers are now calling for the Government to “ensure water for food is prioritised”.
