England, Wales and eastern Scotland have been the driest areas over recent weeks, and this follows a very dry spring in similar regions. England has received only 3% of its long-term average July rainfall with the south and east of England seeing no rain at all. Rainfall so far this summer has been below average across the UK as a whole, but there has been large regional contrast. Up to the middle of summer - 15 July - parts of eastern and north-eastern England had received just 26% of their total expected summer rainfall. Comparisons are being made with last summer, when drought was declared across much of England, Wales and eastern Scotland.