There is a pressing need to prepare and adapt to the environmental and wider impacts of climate change, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said as it confirmed that all parts of Wales have now moved to drought status.

With the South West, South East and parts of Mid Wales already in drought, the Wales Drought Liaison Group met to consider the latest hydrological and environmental data for North Wales and the impacts months of dry weather have had on the natural environment and people in the area.

Despite heavy rainfall in North Wales over recent days and weeks, is has not been sufficient to compensate for the impacts of the prolonged dry weather period over recent months.

Between March and August Wales received just 56.7% of its expected rainfall, the third driest six-month period since records began in 1865 (based on provisional data). In August alone, Wales received just 38% of its average monthly rainfall. The Met Office has also confirmed that this summer has been the eighth warmest for Wales since 1884.

NRW has been working closely with the Environment Agency (EA) in England in relation to cross-border environmental, water resources and navigational related impacts and to give careful consideration to any drought declarations in areas which span the England-Wales border.

For further information from NRW on the drought situation in Wales and the full news briefing click here.